Fewer break mask rule after fine raised

NEW DELHI: Prosecutions for not wearing face masks in public or workplaces in the national Capital have decreased by 62% ever since the Delhi disaster management authority (DDMA) increased its fine from ₹500 to ₹2,000 on November 19, an analysis of data provided by the city administration showed.

The district-wise data also revealed that prosecutions for violating social-distancing norms in Delhi also came down by almost 54% between November 19 and November 30 — compared to the period from November 1 to November 18. But, the number of police cases or FIRs registered for not wearing masks and not maintaining social distance increased from 64 to 146 during the same period.

It is to be noted that figures in this story is based on the actions taken by the district administrations of the Delhi government and is separate from the data maintained by the Delhi Police.

While between November 1-18, as many as 70,955 people were fined for not wearing masks, the same decreased to 26,845 in the latter half of the month after the penalty amount was increased by four times.

Despite the penalty being increased from ₹500 to ₹2,000, the total revenue collection between November 19-30 was ₹287,74,500, which is lower than ₹359,29,800 — the amount collected between November 1 and November 18.

“The expected collection from the violation of not wearing mask alone should be around ₹5.36 crore post the increase in fine. But the city administration is yet to receive most of the money. This is because we prosecute people but let them pay the fine later by visiting the SDM office or the district courts. This provision was introduced last month when the penalty was hiked because it was found that most people do not carry that much cash on them,” said a officer in the chief minister’s office..

A senior official of the north district administration, which fined the maximum number of people (12,782) last month for not wearing masks, said there are two reasons for the decline in the challans issued after an increase in penalty amount.

“People just refuse to pay. They will fight tooth and nail, and argue for as long as two hours but not pay. Secondly, we have observed that the general level of people abiding by Covid-19 appropriate behaviour has improved,” said the official.