Kolkata: In a bid to encourage people in the city to judiciously wear masks, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Saturday launched 'Kolkata Mask Up Challenge' contest in which the citizens of Kolkata will have to post family pictures wearing masks in an event page created in the Facebook page of KMC. The event will continue for two weeks following which the civic body will select 100 of these family pictures who will get the opportunity to take part in a greet and meet virtual interaction with Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim.
"The Covid pandemic situation is continuing for almost two years and wearing of masks is mandatory in our fight against Covid. Presently with the third wave of COVID-19 prevalent in the state, we have launched this 'Kolkata Mask Up Challenge" to encourage people to wear masks for their own protection as well curbing the spread of the virus," Sandipan Saha, Member Mayor in Council (Information Technology), KMC said.
Hakim said that KMC will also give some special awards to some persons who will be captured most times in CCTV footages across the city wearing masks in the next 14 days.
"The Kolkata Municipal Corporation will co ordinate with Kolkata Police for collecting such footages with the latter having CCTV facilities at many places in Kolkata," Hakim added.
He said that the KMC is giving special emphasis on sanitisation of the lifts of the highrises across the city which has been identified as one of the prime source in the spread of Covid.
"The residents should avoid lifts and use stairs as much as possible. In case they use lifts they should carry sanitiser which they should spray while using lifts," he said.