Mumbai: 84% Drop In Action Against Those Flouting COVID-19 Norms

In a major concern, there has been a significant drop in the number of people facing action for not wearing masks in public places.

According to the data revealed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), on an average, 2,500-3,000 persons have been fined daily in March so far. This shows that there is a drop of 84 per cent from the same period in last year when over 19,000 citizens were caught and penalised for not wearing masks.

However, this development comes at a time when the number of COVID-19 cases have dropped drastically in the city.

Meanwhile, the state COVID taskforce has warned of the fourth wave by June 2022.

Since the daily cases saw a downfall and the number of skirmishes between clean-up marshals and citizens increased, the action has been reduced, official stated. Several videos of verbal and physical fights between clean-up marshals and people over wearing masks have gone viral.

Official further said that people have no fear now with complete vaccination done. There are more citizens on the street not wearing masks post the third wave.

As per accounts, on March 8, the marshals penalised 2,349 persons while collecting a fine of INR 4.69 lakh. Meanwhile, a day earlier, on March 7, as many as 2,562 persons were penalised and fine amounting to INR 5.12 lakhs collected.

After the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, the BMC had made masks mandatory in public areas. A fine of INR 200 is levied for the same.

Last year, amid the second wave of COVID-19, the civic body had doubled the number of clean-up marshals from 2,400 to 4,800.

Collectively, BMC, Mumbai Police and Railway Police have collected INR 91.31 crore in fines since April 2020 from people caught without masks.