In a first, Rajasthan mandates wearing masks in public

The Rajasthan assembly has passed a bill on Monday which makes it mandatory for people to wear masks in public as well as private transports. With this newly introduced law, Rajasthan has become the first state in the country bring such a strict law to fight to fight covid-19.

"Along with the 'public movement against coronavirus' going on in the state, the government will make wearing masks compulsory by enacting a law today itself," Mr Gehlot said in a tweet in Hindi.

"The state government today also decided to ban the sale and bursting of fire crackers keeping the safety of COVID-19 infected patients in mind and also to protect the general public from toxic fumes from the fireworks."

The Rajasthan Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was introduced by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal. In the Rajasthan Diseases Act, 2020, a new clause in Section 4 has been inserted which mandates public to wear face mask or cover while moving around public places.

The statement of the bill said, "Health experts all over the world are of the opinion that the use of a mask can help control the spread of COVID-19 considerably and save lives of millions."

Chief Minister Gehlot had earlier said in a tweet that Rajasthan would be the first state in the country to enact a law making it mandatory to wear masks to curb the covid-19 infection.

"Rajasthan will be the first state in the country to enact a law making it mandatory to wear masks for protection against corona, as masks are the vaccine to protect against corona."

Picture Credit: Google