More than 3,000 people were issued fines every day over the last two months for not adhering to COVID-appropriate behaviour with Delhi government teams finding and prosecuting as many as 127 offenders per hour.
Delhi government recorded highest daily violations on Thursday — 5,301.
As many as 1,89,307 people were fined for offences ranging from not wearing face masks — or wearing them improperly — non-adherence to social distancing norms and spitting in public places between April 17 and June 17, according to government records.
The Capital went through a series of six-week-long lockdowns between mid-April and May during which prosecution figures remained relatively low compared to three recent weeks during which the city has been “unlocking” in phases.
With more people stepping out, more prosecutions are being made, said government sources. However, the same sources also concede the other side of the argument: higher prosecution is taking place because more and more people are being found not adhering to COVID norms.
During the first weeklong lockdown, which was in effect from April 19 to April 26, 23,073 people were issued fines; the number fell to 16,965 between the second lockdown from April 27 to May 3 during the second week-long lockdown.
The third installment of the lockdown saw 17,052 prosecutions from May 4 to May 10, the fourth, from May 11 to May 17, saw 17,798, the fifth lockdown recorded 17,728 fines between May 18 and May 24 and the sixth and final installment, till May 31, saw 21,164 challans.
As the unlock process began from early June, the number of fines has increased every week; the first weeklong unlock phase — during which mainly construction and industrial activity was allowed by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) — saw 20,966 fines till June 6.
The second phase, during which the Delhi Metro in addition to neighbourhood and mall-based shops were allowed to open along with both private and public offices from June 7 to June 13, saw 29,343 prosecutions. In its third, ongoing phase of unlock, the Capital recorded 20,361 fines between just June 14 and June 17.
According to government records, the North district, with 27,273, saw the highest number of fines being issued between April 17 and June 17.
The Shahdara district with 26,483 and the South district with 21,295 fines was at second and third place in terms of the total number of fines issued, respectively. The north-west district, with 8392, recorded the lowest number of challans.
