Guwahati, Oct 22: Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) today launched a drive to make people wear face masks in public places in view of the onset of the festive season beginning with Durga Puja.

The awareness drive on wearing face masks was flagged off today by state’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Jogen Mohan from Janata Bhawan here.

The awareness programme has been initiated by the ASDMA in association with DDMA, Kamrup Metro and Home & Political Department, as a pilot project in the first phase at all the Urban Local Bodies/Town Committees/Municipal Boards area in the districts of Kamrup Metro, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Cachar and Barpeta.

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The AAPDA MITRA/ Pratirodhi Bondhu volunteers of all these districts will accompany the Police department and will distribute the reusable face masks in public places like market area/commercial locations/huts etc. to those persons who violate the government order by not wearing face masks after Police Department imposed penalty on them for not following the Govt. instruction. 

Such person shall be provided reusable facemasks at 50% concessional rate. The awareness drive will be continued for 7 days at first and it would be continued further. The other districts will also be covered under this special drive in the next phase.

It has been observed that though several guidelines, notifications etc. have been issued regarding wearing of facemasks in public places, yet a section of people have been violating the guidelines by not wearing facemasks in public places. Therefore, this programme has been initiated to boost the awareness among people about the pandemic and related issues which they are exposed to in their daily life.