The campaign “Where’s your mask?” was launched on August 7 across the nation with the objective of encouraging the citizens to wear a face mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“The campaign launched by the Tourist Police Nepal on August 9 in Basantapur area is expected to continue for a week,” said Durga Shrestha, Tourist Police Nepal Sub Inspector (SI) who is also in charge of the campaign at Basantapur. She said, “The campaign has received support from different bodies including Nepal Tourism Board, Department of Tourism, Hanumandhoka Protected Monument Zone, and Wards 21, 22, 23 and 24 of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.”
The security personnel deployed from six police posts and offices in Basantapur area have been mobilised in the campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been distributing masks to the people who do not wear masks. During the campaign, the police personnel has also been encouraging pedestrians to use sanitizer kept at the desk set up outside the police post.
Campaign incharge Shrestha said, “Everybody knows one should wear a mask, but there are many people who do not wear masks properly and do not know the importance of wearing masks.” So, the campaign has been initiated to heighten public awareness of the risk of COVID-19 since the officials at the Ministry of Health and Population have assumed the third wave of COVID-19.
Basantapur is one of the most popular and most visited places for both domestic and international tourists. The place receives a massive influx of people on daily basis. This is why the local security bodies decided to launch the campaign in Basantapur, Shrestha said.
SI Shrestha has been monitoring the campaign for three days. she said, “Around 10 per cent of people seem to be careless to ignore the risk of COVID-19. “When we ask if they have masks, most of them say they have but they keep their mask in the pocket.” She said adding, “There are times when people start wearing masks only out of fear after seeing us.”
In many places of the country, people are fined for not wearing masks while engaged in outdoor activities, Shrestha said, “People who do not wear masks are certainly fined, but since there are no specific rules on how much to fine, we have not fined people who are found without masks in the valley yet.”
Meanwhile, the Tourist Police have also launched the mask campaign against COVID-19 in other tourist destinations — Bouddha and Swoyambhunath.
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