To encourage COVID-19-suitable behaviour amongst residents of Mumbai, the city civic physique has decided to give ‘free’ masks to these located without the need of face cover in public and also gather a fine of Rs 200 from them.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in a release on Sunday mentioned from April till November 28, it took action against 4.85 lakh citizens for not wearing masks in public areas and collected more than Rs 10.7 crore as fine from them.
The BMC mentioned when an offender, following becoming fined, goes ahead without the need of a face mask, the objective of implementing the COVID-19 prevention protocol remains unfulfilled.
“Therefore, in order to fulfill the objective, the citizen concerned will be provided a free mask and charged a penalty of Rs 200,” it mentioned.
The relevant penalty receipt will also mention about the absolutely free mask, it mentioned.
To curb the spread of infection in the post-Diwali season, the civic physique has enhanced inspection drives in the city, with the violation of mask rule attracting a penalty of Rs 200.
From April till November 28, the maximum quantity of 32,010 citizens without the need of masks have been fined in the K-west ward, which contains regions like Juhu and Versova, a BMC official mentioned, adding that Rs 63.39 lakh was collected as fine from them.
Besides sanitisation of hands and sustaining social distance, common use of mask is important for controlling the spread of coronavirus infection, he added.
Till Sunday, Mumbai city reported a total of 2,82,821 COVID-19 situations and 10,865 deaths due to the illness, as per official figures.