Rs 500 fine for flouting quarantine norms, not wearing mask and consumption of tobacco in public

The rules and fines are a part of the Delhi Epidemic Diseases, (Management of COVID-19) Regulations, 2020, approved by the L-G on Saturday.

New Delhi: Flouting quarantine rules, not wearing masks, failure to maintain social distancing, and chewing and spitting tobacco in public will attract a fine of Rs 500 in Delhi from Sunday, according to new rules approved by Delhi lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal on Saturday that aim to crack down on those violating rules central to the safety protocol to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Shop owners and care takers seen on a deserted Janpath market in New Delhi on Saturday. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

Baijal on Saturday empowered officers of the state health department, district magistrates (DMs), sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs), officers authorised by them, and Delhi Police officers to impose these fines on the spot.

Spitting and consuming tobacco in public was a punishable offence earlier too with the same fine but this was hardly enforced by civic agencies.

According to the rules, the enforcing agencies will impose a fine of Rs. 500 for the first offence and Rs. 1000 for the repeat offence.

In case a person fails to pay the penalty on the spot, action under Section 188 of the IPC (disobedience to civil order) shall be taken against offenders .

Section 188 of the IPC attracts a maximum fine of Rs 1,000 or six months imprisonment or both.

“The regulations empower the city’s secretary (health and family welfare); Delhi director general health services (DGHS); district magistrate, chief district medical officer (CDMO), sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and district surveillance officer (DSO); and officers as authorised by the department of health & family welfare, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and district magistrates and zonal DCs of MCDs; and the officers of the rank of sub-inspector and above of Delhi Police to impose the fines,” a statement from the L-G office read.

The move comes a day after HT reported how resident welfare associations and traders were disappointed with the government’s announcement that the lockdown would not be extended any further in Delhi.

B S Vohra, president of East Delhi RWA front, an umbrella body with around 100 associate RWAs, alleged that the authorities were taking no action against people not wearing masks or not maintaining social distancing.

“It is good that such fines have been imposed, but we hope it is strictly enforced on the ground. So far, we have seen extreme leniency from the enforcement agencies. There is hardly any presence of police or MCD officials to fine people. When you do not have enough manpower or resources to penalise those not following the civic norms of self-protection and hygiene, which currently attracts heavy fines under the Disaster management Act, then you need a lockdown,” Vohra said.

The L-G’s office, in its statement said, “Fines will be imposed if any person is found violating the following norms -- 1) Observation of quarantine rules. 2) Maintaining social distancing. 3) Wearing of face mask/cover in all public places /workplaces. 4) Prohibition of spitting in public places. 5) Prohibition on consumption of paan, gutka, tobacco, etc., in public places.”

The rule is valid for a period of one year.