Aurangabad, March 11:
The partial lockdown will be implemented in the city and other parts of the district from tonight. To ensure whether the Covid-19 guidelines are followed or not, the administration, on the first day, paid surprise visits to various commercial areas and slapped a fine of Rs 1.22 lakh upon shopkeepers, hotel-owners and other establishments. They fined for keeping non-functioning oximeters and thermal guns in their establishments and failing to conduct RT-PCR tests or antigen tests of their employees.
The district collector Sunil Chavan, the commissioner of police Nikhil Gupta, the municipal commissioner A K Pandey and the Zilla Parishad chief executive officer Mangesh Gondawale came on the roads. To cross-check the measures being taken by the private establishments to prevent the spread of Covid-19, they visited Kranti Chowk, Railway Station, Mahaveer Chowk, Gulmandi, Paithan Gate and Roshan Gate areas today. They inspected the hotels, shops and other establishments. The news about their visit spread all over the city. Many of them disappeared by locking their establishments. As a result, the lockdown like situation emerged during the daytime. The officers took penal action and also threatened to cancel their business license.
The propagation encouraging usage of face masks, maintain social distance and sanitiser started from Kranti Chowk. Manubhai Mithaiwala was told not to open the shop unless doing RT-PCR tests of his employees. Digjam Showroom was fined Rs 20,000 for defunct oximeter and thermal gun in the shop. The fine was also collected from Venus shop-Rs 4,000, Classmate - Rs 2000, Khanna Agency - Rs 2000, Swad Hotel - Rs 2000, Master Big - Rs 2000, Hotel Vits - Rs 5,000, Hotel Tirupati - Rs 10,000 and Hotel New Punjab - Rs 5,000. Hence, the total fine collection in 35 cases and 128 irresponsible persons for not wearing masks was Rs 1.22 lakh.
The officers hinted at cancelling the business license if the guidelines are not followed by them hereafter and implementation of lockdown if the infected patients are not reduced in the city. It may be noted that the administration has formed seven squads to create awareness about the Covid-19 guidelines in various parts of the city. They also distributed masks to auto drivers and citizens in the city today.