Not wearing masks, spitting in public places to invite Rs 500 fine: Vij

One of the senior most BJP leaders in Haryana, Vij, who also completed his three decades in active politics after getting elected as an MLA on May 27, 1990 for the first time during a bypoll, was interacting with the media persons here.

If you are found not wearing masks or spitting in public places in Haryana, be ready to shell a fine of Rs 500 at the spot. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij Wednesday said that block development and panchayat officers, tehsildar and naib tehsildar in rural areas and executive officers of municipal committees or corporations in urban areas will have the power to impose the fine on violators.

“Curbing the spread of coronavirus is government’s top priority. We have been following each and every guideline issued by the Union government. In the interest of people’s security, wearing of face mask in public shall be mandatory. Spitting in public places is also prohibited. Violators shall be fined Rs 500 that they will have to pay in cash,” said Vij

One of the senior most BJP leaders in Haryana, Vij, who also completed his three decades in active politics after getting elected as an MLA on May 27, 1990 for the first time during a bypoll, was interacting with the media persons here.

Police station house officers and medical officers, as designated by civil surgeons, on hospitals, community health centre and primary health centre premises, will have the power to impose the fine, according to a notification issued by the state’s health department. It said any officer specifically designated by deputy commissioners and sub-divisional magistrate will also been given powers to impose the fine.

The notification said the central and state governments have made it very clear that in the interest of public safety during the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic wearing of face cover, whether a mask, an improvised mask, a home-made mask or a face cover using clean clothes, will be mandatory for every person at public places and at workplace. There needs to be strict prohibition of spitting in public places, it said.“Now, therefore, it is ordered that every violation of these prohibitions will be punished by imposing a fine of Rs 500. Non-payment of fine by the violator will attract proceedings under Section 188 of IPC (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant),” according to the notification issued by the state’s Director General of Health Services Dr Suraj Bhan Kamboj in exercise of powers conferred on him under the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

Talking about the Covid situation in Haryana and state government’s preparedness, Vij who also is the state’s health minister said, “As compared to other states, the situation in Haryana is largely under control. Most of the cases have been reported from four districts adjoining Delhi”.

“We have proved ourselves on all fronts. If we do a comparative study of the entire country, and if we exclude the number of positive Covid-19 cases reported in the four districts adjoining Delhi and the Tablighi Jamaat cases, then certainly Haryana would have been in a better position in the country. We are still in a better position as compared to other states,” Vij added.

Talking about 12 police personnel getting infected with coronavirus, Vij added, “Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department has been directed to ensure the safety of Corona Warriors. It would be mandatory for police personnel on duty to wear masks, gloves, and other safety equipment. All types of equipment would be made available by the department”.

Responding to a question about his meeting with the Chief Minister, Vij said, “The meeting was related to the Urban Local Bodies Department (ULBs) in regard to the measures required to be adopted to systematize the clearing of garbage in all the 76 ULBs which has been disturbed due to the lockdown. The discussion included the format to be adopted for inviting tenders for the cleaning process and further it was discussed that required action should be taken on this at the earliest”.