Watch your step without a mask on, mind out before littering, spitting and urinating on the public places! The BBMP has released fresh guidelines to put an end to all such unhygienic activities in the city during these pandemic-hit days.
BBMP to impose hefty penalty
Albeit the stringent police actions and lockdown guidelines, people are spotted across the roads and streets even without the basic precautionary measure of wearing a mask.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) along with all the state governments and other governing bodies have been reiterating the essential need to wear a mask while on roads or at workplaces.
Additionally, people were also requested to prevent themselves from contaminating their surroundings by spitting around, littering and urinating.
In its fresh release of guidelines, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has announced its new decision of imposing hefty fines on those found violating the above mentioned criteria. The order came into effect from the midnight of April 30.
INR 1,000 and 2,000 to be charged
If a person is booked for violating the guidelines on wearing a mask and spitting at public places for the first time, the BBMP has directed the officials to charge him/her with a fine amount of Rs 1,000. The penalty, if booked for the second time, will rise to Rs 2,000.
People are hereafter compulsorily asked to wear a mask while stepping out of their home, or at their workplace. As the nation-wide lockdown comes to a partial end on May 3, Centre may release its orders on relaxing more services.
This can increase more human activities in the green and orange zones, and a risk of relapse of the deadly viral infection therefore remains.
As a measure against this, the BBMP, in its order clearly asks the citizens to cover their mouth and nose with a mask while at a public place with more than five people.
Proper disposal of used masks mandatory
After its use, the facial masks and gloves should be properly handed over to the Waste collection in covers or in closed bags as part of the Sanitary reject waste, states the order.
It also explains that "spitting, urinating, littering and any kind of related public nuisance is banned and will be considered as public offence."
In its aim to make the people responsible for their own self as well as for the fellow beings, the BBMP demands the strict implementation of these measures across the city.
As most of the parts of Karnataka, under the green and orange zones are allowed to operate its services and industries, Bengaluru urban still remains as a prominent red zone.
"Any person, institution, organisation," says the order, "violating these regulations shall be proceeded against by competent authorities empowered under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, the Disaster Management Act, SWM Rules 2016 and BBMP's Byelaws (Draft) 2020 and Sections 188, 269 and 270 of the IPC and other relevant codes, Acts."
Recently, the Kerala government has also imposed strict penalty charges for those violating the guidelines of wearing the masks while at public places.
