Not wearing a mask in Mumbai can now result in either paying INR 200 fine or doing a community service job that involves sweeping roads. By Tanvi Jain
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From now on if you are found loitering around without a mask in Mumbai, then either you will be charged INR 200 fine, or be asked to sweep the roads as a community service, according to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC), Solid Waste Management Bye-Laws.
In fact, many mask violators across areas such as Andheri West, Juhu and Versova, have already been made to sweep roads for an hour, under the said rule.
“For the past seven days they have made people do community service in the form of sweeping roads if they unnecessarily argue with officials or refuse to pay fine for not wearing a mask. Until today, a total of 35 people have already been made to do community service in the K-West ward,” Vishwas Mote, assistant municipal commissioner (K-West ward) told PTI.
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“Initially most people show reluctance to do community service like sweeping roads, but they fall in line when they are warned about the police action. On realising that they made a mistake by not wearing a face mask, some people readily agree to do community service,” another official was quoted by the media.
Earlier the BMC had also banned entry of people without masks inside public buses, autorickshaws, and housing societies. As per reports, it has so far collected INR 3 crores as fine for violation of COVID-19 protocol from around 1.5 lakh people.
Now, the civic body has launched a month-long campaign to punish violators, and in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID–19 cases in the city; it has reportedly deployed a staff of 960 people, aiming to catch at least 20,000 violators per day.
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“The BMC is initiating a mass drive of penalising approximately 20,000 citizens per day found without masks in public spaces. This drive will continue for a month at least, and it will be monitored personally by me every evening,” BMC Chief Iqbal Singh Chahal told DNA.
Moreover, the Maharashtra government has recently ordered the Government Railway Police (GRP) to charge fine from passengers found travelling in a local train without a mask. The railways has also reportedly offered to provide free masks to passengers in an attempt to create awareness.
Related: You’ll End Up Digging A Grave In Indonesia If You Don’t Wear A Mask During COVID-19 Times
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