The Karnataka government has once again revised its penalty for failing to wear a face mask in public places.
The fine for not wearing a face mask or failing to wear one the proper way (covering the nose and mouth) in the municipal corporation limits will now be Rs 250 and in the rural areas Rs 100.
Last week, the state government had fixed the penalties for failing to wear a face mask at Rs 1,000 within city limits and Rs 500 in rural areas, following the Central directives that made it mandatory to wear face cover in public places, workplaces and during transport.
With the COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs of abating, doctors have been cautioning people and the government about the need to strictly adhere to wearing masks, the most effective way to prevent its spread. But the callous attitude of the people refusing to wear the face masks is leading to the spread of the coronavirus.
During a drive launched by the civic authorities in Bengaluru, the citizens complained that the fines were exorbitant and it resulted in an unnecessary altercation with the enforcement authorities.
The netizens too expressed shock over the hefty fines and called out the apathy of the police towards disciplining the political class, which refuses to wear face masks or maintain the prescribed 6-feet distance from each other.
The government, in its latest order (dated October 7, 2020) has reduced the penalties for the violations under the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act 2020.
The national directives for COVID-19 management issued last week have also made spitting in public places punishable with a fine and mandated that one has to maintain 6-ft distance in public places. The shopkeepers should ensure physical distancing among their customers too. It has also encouraged work from home, staggered office hours, frequent sanitisation, screening and social distancing at workplaces.
