Mumbai: In a span of just 14 days, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has penalized 852 persons across the city for spitting in the public place and collected Rs 1.46 lakh in penalty between September 17 and October 1.
Meanwhile, the penalty collected from those not wearing masks has increased from Rs 52.76 lakh on September 26 to Rs 60.49 lakh as on October 1.
The civic body has penalised 18,118 persons across the city for not wearing facemasks while stepping out between April 20 and October 1, collecting a penalty of Rs 60.49 lakh. Over 44 per cent of the total fine collected — Rs 26.80 lakh — was in the last twenty days (between September 13 and October 1).
The violation which attracted Rs 1000 fine until September 12 was brought down to Rs 200 starting September 13. BMC has offered its staff incentive of 10 per cent of the total fine they collect each day.
According to BMC officials, R South ward (Kandivali), R Central ward (Borivali), B ward (Dongri, Bhendi Bazaar, MasjidBunder, Mohammed Ali road) and C ward (Kalbadevi, Pydhonie) saw the highest number of offenders during the drive.
Between April 20 and October 1, 1716 offenders were booked in R South ward, 1375 in C ward and 1280 in B ward and 1217 in R central.
While C and B wards have registered lowest cases of Covid 19 across the city, R central and R south are among the worst affected wards with more than 13,000 cumulative cases each.
Between April 20 to September 12 when the fine was Rs 1000, the civic body penalised 4989 people across the city and collected Rs 33,68,500. However, between September 13 to October 1 when the fine was reduced to Rs 200, the civic body penalised 13,127 people and collected Rs. 26,79,800.
The new data released on Sunday has underlined the critical need for the public to comply with the use of face masks, maintain social distancing norms and other Covid-19 guidelines issued by the government to prevent the spread of the contagion.
