Panaji, The Goa government is mulling imprisonment for persons not wearing masks and for not following social distancing norms, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday.

"We will be more strict. I have just instructed the police that if need be, for those not wearing masks, the fine amount will be increased and those who do not follow these instructions will also be put in jail," Sawant told reporters late on Monday at the state secretariat.

Sawant also said that lockdown was not a solution anymore, when asked whether the increase in the recent number of cases in Goa merited another phase of lockdown.

"Maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask, not coming in close contact with other persons, using a sanitiser are the right precautions. A lockdown cannot be a precaution, it cannot be a solution," Sawant said.
The coastal state currently has 724 active Covid-19 cases.