Sonitpur DC Manvendra Pratap Singh issues slew of instructions for COVID-19 outbreak

A Correspondent

Tezpur: With a view to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19 for human health and safety of general public of Sonitpur district, District Magistrate Manvendra Pratap Singh has issued a slew of instructions under provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to regulate certain activities in the district till March 31, 2020.

All weekly markets, cattle markets and other markets of similar nature will remain suspended during this period. Assembly of persons in all public places, including shops, bus stations and market places has been prohibited while maintaining a social distance of 1-2 metres in all such places where public gathering is inevitable (such as banks, pharmacies and hospitals) has been made mandatory.

Moreover, each and every person reaching the district from outside the State of Assam by any mode of transportation will have to mandatorily declare their journey details to the authorities. Such persons after reporting will invariably be stamped for quarantine for 14 days at home. Any person failing to report their particulars will attract penalty U/S 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

All public dealings at government offices are to be minimized to the extent possible and at the same time not impacting time-bound and essential services as per the direction of the controlling offices. The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department has been directed to ensure that there is no hoarding of essential commodities and has also been asked to check price rise of these items.

As per instructions received from the government, the retail price of 3-ply surgical masks has been fixed at Rs.10 per piece and that of 2-ply surgical masks at Rs. 8 per piece; while the retail price for hand sanitizer has been fixed at Rs. 100 per bottle of 200 ml volume. Vendors will not be able to charge the public more money than the rate fixed as above.

All OCs and ICs of various police stations and outposts in the district have been instructed to ensure strict compliance of the restrictions. Any person failing to obey these orders shall be penalized U/S 188 of the Indian Penal Code with punishment of fine and punishment.

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