BMC teams in 24 wards to levy ₹10k fine on Covid guidelines violators

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has formed 24 teams, one for each administrative ward, to monitor the violations of the Covid-19 guidelines issued by the state in the backdrop of outbreak of Omicron variant.

Establishments that are found to be in violation of these guidelines will be fined ₹10,000, while individuals will be fined ₹500, based on a state government notification issued last week.

The order issued on November 27 stated that all shops, establishments, malls, and spaces of gathering “where a member of public has a right to come and get services” can only admit persons who have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The guidelines also mandated Covid appropriate behaviour, including being masked and maintaining social distance.

BMC officials said that the civic body will start levying fines on December 6 (Monday) once it has carried out sensitisation and awareness among establishments about the guidelines.

Under the National Disaster Management Act, the civic body has the authority to close down the establishment if it is found to be in frequent violation of the guidelines. However, the notification did not confirm how many violations could be considered “frequent”.

“We have formed a team of officers from several departments at ward level. We are going and checking private offices, malls, theatres etc. Till now, we have not come across any violation as such in order to levy a ₹10,000 fine,” Sandhya Nandekar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the BMC said.

Officials from the license, solid waste management and shop and establishment departments of the wards will be part of these teams. Currently, clean up marshals of the BMC are authorised to levy a ₹200 fine for those found to be unmasked in public places. “We have formed teams who will do awareness and sensitisation drive across establishments to ensure there is compliance of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. We will start issuing fines starting next week,” a BMC ward official from south Mumbai said. The state in a notification on Saturday said it will monitor crowding at weddings and open spaces to prevent super-spreader events.