"Civic body issues new targets for the staff on the ground as clean-up marshalls have been struggling to meet its previous impossible targets "
Civic officials fine youngsters for not wearing masks at Juhu beach on Tuesday. Pic/ Atul Kamble
In a bid to earn additional revenue amid the pandemic and make citizens strictly follow rules, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued new targets to wards with regard to fining maskless people in the Mumbai.
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While a drive was started last month when the targets were given, civic officials said they were very high and impossible to achieve.
Also Read: COVID-19: Learn and live; if you don't, you won't
Clean-up marshalls have struggled to meet even half the target.
As per the new targets, the 24 wards in the city have to collectively fine at least 2,000 citizens seen without masks daily.
Each ward office is given a target as per the number of corporators it has — fining at least 100 citizens in each corporator's ward. The city has 227 corporators.
Citizens, on the other hand, are worried about being fined even inside their cars.
A civic official said, "Clean-up marshalls have a lot of stress. There is also a lot of confusion as those not wearing a mask carry it along and refuse to pay fines.
Also Read: Caught on camera: Man without mask drags Pune traffic cop on car bonnet to evade fine
They keep arguing about the usage of masks. There are very few who do not carry a mask and meeting the target for fines becomes impossible."
Recently, the BMC has fined 2.26 lakh citizens R200 each and has so far collected R4.79 crore in fines. This month, the BMC has fined around 9,000 people and collected R20 lakh in fines.
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