New Delhi: As Delhi witnesses a surge in coronavirus cases, Delhi Police Wednesday announced the formation of a dedicated ‘Covid team’ in every police station to prosecute violations of guidelines in each district.
In a statement Wednesday, the police said it will deploy a team comprising two officers to a particular location in every district that experiences the most footfall to prosecute people for not wearing masks, violating social distancing norms or other guidelines.
Directions to prosecute violations of Covid-19 guidelines@CPDelhi @LtGovDelhi @HMOIndia pic.twitter.com/wb7Y2M92y3
— #DilKiPolice Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) September 9, 2020
The statement added that the district’s deputy police commissioner will select the area on a rotational basis and each team from every police station in the district will be present there from 10 am to 6 pm. The areas that have recorded the maximum violations in the past few weeks will be chosen, with a new area selected everyday.
Delhi Police’s public relations officer Eish Singhal told ThePrint that the Covid teams in each district will be formed immediately and that this was a concerted effort to ensure that people follow the Covid guidelines, especially in areas like Khan Market and Connaught Place that are prone to crowding.
“We hope better coordination will take place through this exercise and that it will also enable the Delhi Police to understand how many people are required for this work,” Singhal said.
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Not all personnel will be involved
The three primary duties of the Covid teams will be to monitor the violations in the area, create awareness about Covid guidelines such as wearing a mask and social distancing, and also distribute masks to the poor.
Singhal added that not all police personnel will be involved in this exercise.
The circular issued by the Delhi Police notes that the district personnel involved in crime control at checking points and other patrolling parties will not be issued these challan books.
Furthermore, traffic police personnel will also not be a part of this exercise.
“All challan books which are thus not required by district/ traffic policemen shall be taken back and kept in safe custody under the knowledge of the concerned DCPs,” the circular states.
According to an order issued by Chief Secretary Vijay Dev, not wearing a mask while stepping out of your house in Delhi can land a person in jail for up to six months. While people also have to pay anywhere between Rs 200 and Rs 1,000 as fine.
Flouting quarantine rules, not maintaining social distancing and spitting in public can attract a fine of Rs 500 according to the rules approved by Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal in June.
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