Fifteen shop owners in Daltonganj have been served notices under section 188 of IPC on charge of not wearing a mask while trading business and thus endangering their own lives besides jeopardising lives of staff of the shops and the customers visiting them.

Additional collector (AC) revenue PK Prasad said, “A surprise raid was conducted by a team wherein we found 15 errant shop owners who had no mask on their faces and were doing business in the shops putting public health at risk in Covid 19.”

AC, Revenue further said these 15 flouters have been served with notices under section 188 of IPC, which deals with disobedience of order of public servant and thus endangers safety of public health which invites imprisonment or fine or both.

Prasad said the shop owners who were found without masks had their own flimsy explanation like ‘forget to put on’ kept the mask in drawer’  ‘will use it’. He said it is the moral responsibility of every citizen to adhere to health protocol and guidelines of MHA.

“The DC has done deputation of magistrates for observance of health protocol which basically includes social distancing and mask wearing but for this person’s own inner concern for safety of life is most important,” reiterated Prasad.

AC revenue said this drive is also a part of awareness campaign for mask wearing as any laxity in observance of health protocol will cause havoc in this time of Covid 19.

Sources said the shop keepers have only concern for cash to come at their sale counters while the customers too do not realize the consequence of the harms of not wearing the mask.

Sources said girls and women use mask more in comparison to males here in Palamu.

AC revenue said this drive to tame errant shop keepers will be further intensified here in the district.

Dispelling any confusion that district administration will not proceed against flouters of health protocol Prasad said, “We are tough as it concerns health safety of all and so there will be no getting away from the music for any flouter of protocol.”