People in Meghalaya will now have to pay a fine of Rs 500 if they are found to have violated the COVID19 protocols.
The protocols include wearing of mask, maintain social distancing and not to spit in public places among others.
Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters that in many places people were not wearing mask and did not follow the protocols.
“I once again urge the citizens to follow the protocols so that we defeat the spread of this virus,” Sangma urged.
He said the government has now decided to take action by imposing a fine of Rs 500 against people who flout the norms and protocols.
The chief minister also made it clear that it is not the government alone that fights against COVID19, but all stakeholders and the society as a whole has a role to play from the village authority to various organisations including religious groups.
“Therefore it is very important for every citizen to act responsibly. We must ensure maintaining of social distance, and not going to places unnecessarily. If we are careful for ourselves, this virus will not spread and we can beat this virus. We all need to get back to normal life and we should ensure behavioral change while living with COVID19,” he said.
On wedding revelers who violate protocols and the incident related to the wedding party in Assam, Sangma said it is disheartening that officers and other frontline workers work so hard to contain the spread of the virus but some people are taking things lightly and did not respect the protocols.
Sangma assured that action would be taken against people who flout the protocols adding that the government is waiting for detailed reports from the magisterial inquiry on the incident related to the wedding party.
Admitting that the rise in the number of positive cases is a matter of concern, the chief minister urged the citizens of the state not to panic but to follow the protocols and fight together against the virulent virus.