Nadeem Nabi
Srinagar, May 22: Wearing face masks has been made mandatory in North Kashmir’s Bandipora and Central Kashmir’s Gandrbal districts by district authorities on Friday.
An official told Kashmir Despatch that wearing of facial masks can reduce the spread of coronavirus substantially. Therefore, it has been decided that facial masks will be compulsory for anyone stepping out of their houses in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
He said, with the easing of lockdown, footfall is going to increase at public places and it becomes all the more important for all to use masks in public places. The officer said whereas, advisories/ directions have been issued from time to time to the public to use masks, and now, it appears expedient to reiterate those directions in the interest of the health of the general public now.
Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Shahbaz Ahmed Mira also confirmed this order to Kashmir Despatch in a statement which reads, in the exercise of powers vested in me under Section-34 of Disaster Management Act, 2005, do hereby order that wearing of masks in all public places/ Govt offices in District Bandipora shall be compulsory. Anybody found without wearing a mask shall be dealt under law.
Pertinently, earlier this day the administration in Ganderbal also ordered for wearing face maks mandatory for the people in the district.