A week after the revised fines for violation of COVID-19 measures came into force, authorities in the central region have come down heavily on violators. While in Tiruchi city, a total of ₹35,000 was collected by the city corporation, in Perambalur,₹53,000 was collected and in Ariyalur, ₹1,16,200 has been collected so far.
The State government had announced that according to the revised norms, people found not wearing a mask, or wearing it incorrectly would be fined ₹ 200. Violating quarantine norms and personal distancing can attract a fine of ₹500. Those violating norms at containment zones would also be fined ₹500. Meanwhile, commercial establishments violating guidelines including the standard operating procedure would be fined ₹5,000, the order read.
In Tiruchi city, of the penalty collected so far, ₹25,000 was from violators not wearing masks. The remaining ₹10,000 was collected from shops and other places where personal distancing was not maintained. “The public seems to be aware of the need to follow the norms for their own health. The number of violations have dropped significantly,” Corporation Commissioner S. Sivasubramanian said. “While in June and July we had been collecting up to ₹ 1.5 lakh a week, we are collecting less than ₹ 50,000 nowadays,” he said.
In Ariyalur, 561 people were intercepted by officials - including the Department of Public Health, municipality officials, revenue department and ₹1,12,200 was collected as on Monday. Meanwhile, eight people were fined for violating home quarantine norms and containment zones measures.
In Perambalur, as on Monday, 229 people were fined by the Department of Public Health amounting to ₹46,100, while the police department has so far fined 17 people, collecting ₹3,400. Meanwhile, seven people were fined ₹500 each for violating personal distance norms. “Since we have been conducting awareness programmes across the district, we are enforcing the fines too. People need to be aware of the ill effects of not wearing masks. Even if they are following the norms to avoid the fine, they are also staying safe, and that is our intention,” a health official in the district said.
