Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that punitive action should be taken against those who wear masks carelessly, by leaving their mouth or nose exposed. The High Court has directed the respective bodies and health officials of Punjab, Haryana, and UT Chandigarh to take steps to ensure that people wear masks in a proper manner.
The court also said that heads of public and private institutions need to sensitize their employees regarding mask etiquette. A division bench of Justices Rajan Gupta and Karamjit Singh passed the orders while disposing of a petition against the state government with regards to the Covid-19 situation. The court has also stated that criminal proceedings will be taken against those who wear masks carelessly, as their actions could thereby jeopardize the lives of others.
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During the hearing, counsel for the Haryana government told the High Court that a nodal agency has been formed in every district under the leadership of the concerned Superintendent of Police to deal with the Coronavirus situation. The nodal agency also includes the city council, corporation representative, and civil surgeon. It has also been decided that the Secretary Legal Services Authority in each district will also be a member of the said committee as they receive several Covid related complaints.
While the Punjab government counsel informed the court that a committee is being formed to address the grievances of the public in the state and that - Helpline number 104 is already functioning.
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During the hearing, the High Court was informed by a lawyer that some private hospitals are charging exorbitant fees and are not admitting patients. To this, Punjab, Haryana, and UT Chandigarh assured that such complaints would be looked into immediately and punitive measures would be taken against hospitals and medical institutions.
In this regard, the court also instructed both the states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to file a status report on the developments in each district within a week.
