COVID-19: Civic bodies ban spitting, urinating in public places; fine of Rs 1,000

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

People found spitting or urinating in public places will be penalised with a fine of Rs 1000, in keeping with the measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak, civic authorities said on Sunday.

All three municipal corporations and the New Delhi Municipal Council have prohibited spitting and urinating by any person with immediate effect.

The move by the civic bodies comes in compliance with a recent directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for COVID-19 management, which made spitting in public spaces a punishable offence.

"With a view to ensure strict compliance of directives to contain the spread of coronavirus, it is directed that there shall be no spitting or urinating in public places. Persons responsible for any such violation shall be punished with a fine of Rs 1000," Council's Secretary Amit Singla said.

The MHA order had also said that there should be a strict ban on sale of liquor and tobacco during the lockdown period, and spitting should be strictly prohibited and punishable with a fine.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), in a statement, said it has strictly banned spitting and urinating in public spaces.

The south body has decided to impose a fine of Rs 1,000 for any such violation.

The powers conferred upon the commissioner to impose and collect the fines from the violators have also been delegated to all licensing inspectors, public health inspectors, sanitary inspectors and malaria inspectors, it said.

All the officials are instructed to ensure strict compliance of these directives in all the four zones of the SDMC, authorities said.

The violators will be issued challans and fine will be collected on the spot.

In case the violator does not have money to pay the fine, then the municipal officer shall ensure to obtain the parentage of violators like proper address from the identity card (driving licence, Aadhaar card, or any other identity document) being carried by the person.

In case the violator does not have any identity card with him, his or her photo will be taken on a mobile phone along with the parentage disclosed by him, they said.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation also issued a public notice on Saturday telling that spitting or urinating in public places has been prohibited with immediate effect.

Any violation shall lead to imposition of fine of Rs 1,000 on the person.