No challans for 2 days as Shimla cops start mask distribution, Covid awareness campaign

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 10

The tourist strolling on the busy Mall Road and The Ridge in the heart of the town would not be subjected to any coercive action for not wearing mask during the weekend.

The Sadar Police station has taken a pro-tourist initiative to distribute face mask and create awareness on Covid 19 pandemic today and tomorrow (Saturday, July 10 and Sunday, July 11) instead of indiscriminately challaning the violators.

Shimla is witnessing huge tourist influx as people are rushing for hill station to beat the sultry heat of plains and Shimla is packed to capacity during weekends.

The tourists would not be challanes for violation of face mask and the Sadar police would carry out the campaign under SHO Sadar Sandeep Chaudhary.

This novel move has come a day after Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur directed the DCs, SPs and CMOs to ensure strict implementation of “appropriate Covid behaviour” norms to check spread of the virus.

Welcoming the step, president of Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Association Sanjay Sood said at the same time repeated offenders should be heavily fined as the tourists has no right to risk the lives of the locals. The hotel occupancy was about 70-80 per cent today, he added.

Making an appeal to the tourists to use of face masks and hand sanitisers and strictly follow the SOPs, he also asked the hospitality industry to motivate tourists staying in their units to maintain Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.

Chief Minister asked the police identify places where the flow of tourists was very high and deploy additional police force to tackle the situation and keep strict vigil on tourists not following the protocol.

The Shimla police have issued 9,053 challans for not wearing face mask during the Covid-19 pandemic from March 2020 till first week of July 2021 and collected fine to the tune of Rs 63,51,200.