In Rajasthan, 1 million people pay ₹14.03 cr in fines for violating Covid norms in 8 months

More than one million people have been fined in Rajasthan for violating guidelines issued to contain Covid-19 and more than ₹14 crore has been collected from them as fine since March, according to the police department’s dada.

Between March 22 and December 3, 1,005,000 people have been fined for not wearing masks and ₹14.31 crore has been collected from them.

Those fined include 353,000 people not wearing masks at public places, 14,135 shopkeepers not wearing masks while selling products, 2,831 spitting in public places, 600 drinking alcohol at public places and 637,000 people not maintaining safe physical distance, the data shows.

The top five districts with the highest number of violations are Udaipur (75,349), Jaipur city (73,316), Bhilwara (66,759), Jhalawar (58,770) and Bhiwadi (51,230).

Those drinking alcohol in public places are fined ₹500. Shopkeepers and vendors selling products without wearing masks are fined ₹500 and the same amount is collected from people without masks in public places. Those found not maintaining a distance of six feet from another person and spitting in public are fined ₹100.

The figures show that during this period 31,729 preventive arrests were made under section 151 of CrPC, 6964 were arrested for risking contagion and 256 were arrested for spreading fake messages.

Most of the people arrested under section 151 of CrPC were roaming in the markets without any reason during the lockdown or areas where curfew had been imposed.

A total of 6,964 people held for risking contagion were booked under section Section 188 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act.

Anyone who disobeys orders promulgated by public servants which causes or tends to cause obstruction, annoyance or injury, or risk of obstruction, annoyance or injury, can be arrested under section 188 of IPC.

Director general of police ML Lather said that for the prevention of coronavirus infection in the state, it is necessary to comply with the health protocol and all the provisions.

“Effective action is being taken by the Rajasthan police under the Rajasthan Epidemic Ordinance applicable in the state for prevention of infection of corona as well as all other provisions,” Lather said.