Three years ago, the State government announced a law to curb spitting in public spaces, but the Bill has been on a slippery slope since: departments have yet to agree on the mode of punishment. The bone of contention: fine the offenders or force them into a day’s community service? Further, who will collect the fines?
In January 2015, State Health Minister Dr. Deepak Sawant announced a law prohibiting spitting in public spaces in an attempt to prevent the spread of diseases such as tuberculosis. The draft Bill proposed a fine of ₹1,000 or a day of community service at a public hospital or government office for first-time offenders. For a second-time offender, the fine was fixed at ₹3,000 or three-day community service and for a repeat offender, the fine is at ₹5,000 or five-day community service.
“We are not bringing in the law to collect fines, but to make people realise that spitting is a social evil. A person with cash may pay up the fine and repeat the offence. But if we can manage to send him to social service at least for a day, it will bring about a desirable change,” said Dr. Sawant.
While the minister is stressing on community service, discussions with the Planning Department have been stuck for long on the issue of who will collect the fine. “I have suggested that wherever the offence has been committed, the local agency can collect the fine, which could be used for a public purpose,” he said.
Finance and Planning Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar denied any delay on the part of his department. “Deciding who collects the fine is not our area, but of the department that proposes the law. Whoever collects the money, ultimately it will end up with the State Treasury,” Mr. Mungantiwar said.
And as it typically happens in such cases, the file has been passed around. Sources said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has been requested to take a final decision on the issue.
In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s ‘clean up-marshals’ police select areas for spitters and litterbugs and collected ₹9 crore as fines in the previous financial year.
