The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to make violators do community services in form of sweeping roads for an hour or cleaning graffiti if they argue against or refuse to pay Rs 200 fine for not wearing masks in public places, officials aware of the matter said. This punishment will be implemented as per BMC’s Solid Waste Management Bye-Laws, which give it powers to have citizens do community services for spitting on roads.
The officials said police cases will be lodged against those violators, who refuse the community service. They added many violators refuse to pay the Rs 200 fine for not wearing masks in public and that prompted the civic body to introduce the concept of community service to check the violations.
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Suresh Kakani, BMC’s additional commissioner, said their aim is to not earn money but to ensure that citizens wear masks in public places. “For this, we are exploring all possible means to ensure people realise the importance of wearing masks.”
Kakani said besides community services, including sweeping roads, they will also file cases against violators with the police. “At the same time, we are using all means to spread the message on wearing masks in public places.”
