Day after mid-day, in a report, highlights that many offenders were going unpunished in the city, civic chief orders officials to act strictly against anyone roaming without a mask
Vistors to the Mount Mary shrine in Bandra on Tuesday can be seen without the mandatory mask. The SWM department has proposed that the fine be reduced to Rs 200 from Rs 1,000. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
The day mid-day reported about the BMC's laxity in punishing the offenders of mandatory mask rule amid the pandemic, the civic chief ordered his officials to not only fine those roaming without a face mask, but also to increase the enforcers on ground.
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The Solid Waste Management (SWM) Department had deployed clean-up marshals, hired from private agencies, to fine people who are outdoors without wearing a mask, but only in a few wards. And all their contracts ended a few months back, the BMC extended the deal with only a few of them and most of them are still inactive.
Also read: COVID-19 In Mumbai: Does BMC Not Care Whether Or Not You Are Wearing A Mask?
Now, corporation workers will be sent to the wards where clean-up marshals have not been assigned, as per BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal's order, civic officials told mid-day on Wednesday.
Moreover, the SWM Department has proposed a reduction in the penalty amount to Rs 200 from Rs 1,000. "There is an issue with the penalty amount. Many people are not willing to pay Rs 1,000, that is why over the past five months nearly 10,000 people were let off with a warning," said a civic official.
"We will send the proposal to the commissioner and will take action as per his recommendation," said Anand Wagaralkar, joint municipal commissioner and in-charge of the SWM Department.
mid-day on Monday reported that during the initial days of the COVID-19 lockdown, when people were barred from leaving their houses, the BMC fined 24 people daily on an average, however, by August, when restrictions were eased and city roads once again saw crowd, the daily numbers dropped to just 12.
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