Maharashtra on Thursday announced that wearing masks will now be optional in the state becoming the first state to make the use of masks in public places not mandatory.
FPJ today conducted a Twitter poll asking the people about the state government's decision on making the mask optional, where 60.90 per cent of people supported this decision, while 39.10 per cent are against it.
"Do you think that the #Maharashtra government has taken the right decision by making the wearing of masks voluntary, especially against the backdrop of rising #COVID19 cases in #Europe, #China?" FPJ had asked.
The government has withdrawn the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act, which were invoked in March 2020 in the wake of the surge in Covid cases, following the outbreak of the pandemic.
The state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, on Thursday unanimously approved the lifting of all Covid restrictions from Gudi Padwa, which falls on Saturday, April 2 this year.
Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that with the Cabinet's decision to lift all restrictions, rules like mandatory double vaccination and wearing of a mask no longer apply.
Tope further said that countries in the US, UK and Europe have already become mask-free. "But we have made it optional. The decision has been taken by the chief minister and all others in consultation with the task force and the health department," Indian Express quoted saying the health minister.
Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad tweeted that people were free to celebrate Marathi New Year Gudi Padwa, Ramzan and Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti without restrictions.
Reportedly, there will now be no restrictions state-wide in movie theatres, shopping complexes, restaurants, bars and sports complexes.
From today onwards, Mumbai Police will no longer fine people for not wearing masks.
(with agency inputs)
