Bhubaneswar, A day after the Odisha government made wearing face mask compulsory in public, the petroleum dealers on Friday decided not to dispense fuel to the customer who is not wearing a mask.

The Utkal Petroleum Dealers Association decided not to sell petrol/diesel/CNG to customers not wearing masks.

"The government's decision is for the benefit of the general public and we completely support it. The decision has been taken to ensure that people follow the government's guidelines", said Sanjay Lath, general secretary of the association.

He said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of the employees and the customers as well.

The Odisha government on Thursday made wearing masks mandatory for people stepping out of their houses.

It has decided to impose fines on violators. The fine would be Rs 200 for the first 3 times and then Rs 500 for every subsequent violation.