Over 30 people were arrested in Siliguri on Sunday for not wearing masks in public spaces, following the Bengal government’s orders to the district and police authorities to strictly enforce its last year’s orders of enforcing social distancing and mandatory wearing of facial masks.

This is the first time that people not wearing masks have been arrested from north Bengal after the surge in Covid-19 cases during the second wave of the pandemic.

On Sunday, Darjeeling district recorded 203 new cases of which 17 were from the hilly region.

Sources said the state chief secretary issued a fresh order on Saturday highlighting previous orders on punitive steps if Covid-19 protocols are violated and sought strict enforcement of the same by district officials.

“Wearing facial masks in public was made mandatory in the pandemic situation by an order issued on April 12, 2020,” said a district official. Another order issued on June 2, 2020, had directed any police officer not below the rank of sub-inspector or equivalent, to ensure mandatory use of facial mask/cover in public and “to initiate appropriate legal action against any person” who violated the norm.

“Over the past months there was general laxity on taking legal action. However, the fresh advisory from the state government has prodded the administration to take punitive steps,” said an official.

Police and civil administration teams moved around Siliguri town on Sunday in busy areas of the town such as Naya Bazar, Pradhan Nagar, PC Mittal Bus Stand and Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus.

Sources in the police said around 30-odd people were arrested from various parts of the town till late evening.

Priyadarshini S., the SDO of Siliguri, who also took part in the exercise, said: “We are enforcing the state government’s order. We are moving around and encouraging people to wear masks.”

In Darjeeling hills, police held awareness events and asked people to wear masks but did not make arrests.

Those flouting social distancing and masks norms can be booked under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

On conviction, the accused can be imprisoned for a year or be fined or both.

In a separate notification, the state’s department of health and family welfare has stated that it has been brought to its notice that “there have been instances of hoarding of medical oxygen cylinders” and selling those without the valid prescription of a doctor.

The notification has also stated that under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, medical oxygen cannot be sold without a doctor’s prescription.