Mumbai: Invoking powers conferred on him under the Epidemic Diseases Act, BMC chief Praveen Pardeshi on Tuesday issued fresh orders for ‘social distancing’.
Among other measures, the order states that all non-essential service providers, including private and public companies, corporates and establishments, ‘will allow only 50 % of their usual staff to attend office on any day.’
Among those exempted are establishments providing essential services such as drinking water, sewerage, banking, telephone and internet, rail and transportation, food, vegetables and groceries, hospitals, medical centres and medical stores, media and ports.
Assistant Municipal Commissioners and police have been directed to issue advisories to people urging them not to gather in a mass at beaches and public places.
Private sector companies and public sector companies have been ordered to encourage their staff to work from home. The BMC chief’s order also states that spitting in any public place, premises or road will attract a fine of Rs 1,000, and ward offices, sanitary staff and the police have been directed to strictly enforce the rule.
