To create an effective deterrent, the fine for not wearing a mask in public has been increased from ₹500 to ₹2,000 in the Capital.
The decision was taken at a meeting between Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday.
Mr. Kejriwal said: “When words do not do the task, imposing restrictions on them becomes necessary. Some people are defying COVID-19 protocols and exposing themselves and others to the risk of contracting the virus.”
Chhath Puja
Due to the rise in the number of cases, Mr. Kejriwal requested the people to celebrate Chhath Puja on November 20 at home instead of venturing out. “According to experts, if 200 people enter a pond and even if one person is infected then all those who are in the water will 100% get the virus,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
He added that the government is not against the celebration of Chhath Puja but was taking measures to ensure the safety of people.
Mr. Kejriwal said all private hospitals have been asked to reserve 80% of ICU beds and 60% of non-ICU beds for for COVID-19 patients. Private hospitals have been asked to defer all non-critical planned surgeries for a few days until the peak of cases passes, Mr. Kejriwal added.
Commenting on an all-party meet that was held on Thursday morning, Mr. Kejriwal said he took suggestions from all parties and would work on implementing them.
“Delhi is going through a tough phase. This is not the time to play politics and issue statements against parties but to work together,” Mr. Kejriwal said. He appealed to all parties and social organisations to ensure that people wear masks.
Mr. Kejriwal also visited the Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Hospital to review its preparedness, which has increased the number of ICU beds from 50 to 100.
Fewer deaths
He thanked doctors and all healthcare workers for working to ensure that there are fewer deaths in the Capital. He added that compared to other major cities across the world that saw a peak in cases, Delhi was handling the situation much better.
He alleged that videos had surfaced from cities across the world like New York when there were a high number of daily cases that showed people lying on the roads because they were not able to avail beds in the hospitals. “The situation was grave, and the number of deaths was high and bodies were lying one over the other. The same type of visuals was received from Sweden, France, Italy, when novel coronavirus was at a peak in their countries,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
He added that today, there are around 8,500 daily cases but “our medical fraternity has done a commendable job in COVID management. Delhi still has 7,500 beds and 450 ICU beds available for COVID-19 patients. There are no patients lying in corridors or on roads, even after the peak hit Delhi,” the Chief Minister said.
