BHOPAL: Collector Tarun Pithode on Tuesday warned the medical stores owners to ensure availability of masks (2ply and 3ply surgical masks and N95 masks) and hand sanitisers and not to sell them at inflated rates failing which action will be taken.
On March 13, the central government brought masks and hand sanitisers under Essential Commodities Act, 1955, (EC Act) to make sure that these products, key for preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection, are available to people at the right price and of right quality.
Taking note of the fact that masks (2ply and 3ply surgical masks and N95 masks) and hand sanitisers are not easily available and vendors are charging exorbitant prices, the government declared these items as essential commodities till June 30 under the EC Act. Under this Act, the States and Union Territories can ask manufacturers to enhance their production capacity so that these products are easily available. Under the Act, an offender may be punished with imprisonment up to seven years.
Besides, collector Pithode instructed hotels staff to ensure hand-washing outside their hotels before entry of visitors and guests. Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials have been instructed to install wash basins at various places for hand washing in the state capital.
He further instructed RTO to get curtains removed from AC luxury buses (Indore-Bhopal Volvo buses) and ensure proper sanitisation before boarding the passengers. City bus operators have been instructed to ensure sanitisation twice a day before boarding the passengers.
