The BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) has issued an order making it compulsory to wear masks and the people will be fined heavily for spitting, urinating and littering in public during this Coronavirus lockdown period.

BBMP Commissioner BH Anil Kumar tweeted, “#BBMP has made it compulsory to wear masks in public places & at workplaces with more than 5 employees. Spitting, urinating & littering banned completely. For each violation, first-time offenders will be fined Rs 1000 & for second/subsequent offence, fine will be Rs 2,000.”

This order has already come in to effect from 12:00 am of April 30 and the people, who will violate it, will be fined Rs 1000. “This order will be effective from 12:00 midnight of 30 April, 2020 and continue to remain in force until further orders,” read the statement released to media by the BBMP.

The statement concludes, “Any person, institution, organization etc. violating these regulations shall be proceeded against by competent authorities empowered under the Epidemic Disease Act,1897 the Disaster Management Act, SWM Rules 2016 & BBMP’s Byclaws (Draft) 2020 and Sections 188.269 8c 270 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other relevant codes, Acts. (Ref No: HFW 54 CAM 2020).

The BBMP is yet to make it clear how it will track the offenders. A citizen named Santhosh Kumar asked on Twitter, “No-one is following, we r interested to know how you will track this offender? As citizen if you want our involvement happy to do that, but govt is not serious, ppl r spitting,urinating everywhere Person shrugging‍♂.”

The people, who throw garbage where they want, are big problems of the city. Though the BBMP has made several attempts curb this menace, but they could not succeed in it. Some citizens requested the BBMP to fine them too. A citizen named Ananth Kumar tweeted, “Sir. Please take strict action against people dumping garbage on road side as well. This is big risk for pourakarmikas.”