Bengaluru: Almost a week after hiking the fines on failure to wear masks out in public, the Karnataka Government, on Wednesday, drastically reduced the rates from Rs 1,000 to Rs 250 in urban areas and from Rs 500 to Rs 100 in rural areas.
According to a statement released by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, he explained that the decision to slash the penalty rates for not wearing face masks was taken “in the backdrop of public opposition and experts’ opinions” and will come into immediate effect.
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— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) October 7, 2020
It can be recalled that around a week ago, the government had raised the fines for not wearing masks in public to Rs 1,000 in urban areas and Rs 500 in rural areas in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, as many people were found violating the guidelines.
Yediyurappa said that the wearing of masks, using of hand sanitizers and maintaining of social distancing is inevitable as there is no vaccine for COVID-19. Stating that the government is making efforts to “balance life and livelihood”, he requested the citizens to “voluntarily wear masks, use hand sanitizer and keep social distance and cooperate with the government”.
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— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) October 7, 2020
All over the state, police officers and other government officials have been conducting awareness drives, as well as fining those found violating the COVID-19 prevention guidelines.
In Bengaluru, Marshalls and other enforcement officials have been levying penalties on people found to be in public without masks. A common complaint among those who were fined was that the amount was “too much”.
