As the deadly second wave of COVID-19 ravages India, authorities have made the use of face masks in public mandatory and announced that violators will be fined Rs 1,000.

Read more – Mattress factory sealed for stuffing used face masks instead of cotton

A shepherd hailing from Telangana, India who could not afford a face mask came up with an innovative solution to avoid getting fined.

According to details, Mekala Kurmayya had to visit the government office to collect his pension but could not afford a face mask. Knowing he wouldn’t be allowed to enter the office without a face mask, the Telangana shepherd made a face mask from a bird’s nest and wore it on his his face before stepping into the office.

Mekala Kurmayya can’t buy a mask-still wore one. Kurmayya who hails from Chinnamunugal Chad in Mahabubnagar district #Telangana came to mandal center for a pension wearing a bird-nest as a mask! Not the best-but he tried. Govts should distribute masks for those who can’t afford pic.twitter.com/NogkmgNr5n

— Revathi (@revathitweets) April 22, 2021

While that doesn’t look very comfortable, it appears to have gotten the job done.

India has reported 19,925,500  cases so far. As of Monday morning, 218,959 people had died in the country.