In a matter of just a month, Pune district administration collected ₹1.1 crore as penalty for not wearing masks and spitting on the roads. The administration collected these amount from 13 tehsils of Pune district. They collected this amount to curb the rising number of COVID-19 cases in rural areas. At the same time, they also intensified testing in these areas to prevent the spread of coronavirus. A man from Pune even got himself a mask made out of gold.
₹1 Crore Worth Fine Collected In Pune Rural Areas For Spitting And Not Wearing Masks
Coronavirus cases steadily increase in rural areas of the Pune district. It has reported 18, 213 positive cases as on September 2. In fact, Pune rural recorded 525 fatalities while 12, 000 patients recovered from the viral infection. And to curb the spread of COVID, Pune district administration imposed strict rules. Officials collected ₹1.1 crore as penalty for spitting and not wearing masks in just one month. District Collector, Dr Rajesh Deshmukh stated to The Indian Express that they toured 12 tehsils so far. And even roped in the police to penalise people for not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.
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Ayush Prasad, Chief Executive Officer of Pune Zilla Parishad informed that in a month they collected ₹1.1 crore from violators. The district collector also issued an order to direct the police to collect fines under the Epidemic Diseases Act. Reportedly, 16,242 people across 1,408 gram panchayats were penalised. And 24,013 more people paid fines. Defaulters have been reported from gram panchayats under Indapur, Daund, Mulshi, Haveli and Junnar.
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Penalty For Spitting And Not Wearing Masks Stand At ₹500 Each
Prasad also stated that the penalty for spitting in public and not wearing masks stand at ₹500 each. Depending on villages, gram panchayats charged between ₹100 and ₹200 for not maintaining social distancing. He also informed that this drive was intensified in the last few days. Most hotspots were across 69 gram panchayats situated along the highway. The administration also focuses now on increased COVID-19 testing across rural areas. The second week of August they conducted 7000 tests and by third week, they doubled this number. This is the need of the hour undoubtedly. So here is the story of a Mumbai doctor who shared his experience during coronavirus.