People flouting safety measures to be penalised with fine, imprisonment in Kohima

Our Correspondent

Kohima, June 30 (EMN): People flouting safe norms like not spitting in public places, wearing of face mask and maintaining social distancing will be penalised with a fine or imprisonment in Kohima.

The Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) issued a circular on Monday stating that any individual found violating the safety measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 will be penalised with a fine of INR 100 for the first instance, and INR 200 for the second instance.

As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, repeated offenders or those refusing to comply with the directives of the government authorities are punishable under Disaster Management Act Section 51(b), it said.

“As per government directive, it is to remind the general public of Kohima Town that the use of face mask and maintaining social distancing is mandatory and also spitting in public places is strictly prohibited during this hour of a pandemic,” a circular issued by KMC Administrator Kovi Meyase read.

According to the Disaster Management Act of 2005, Section 51 (b), violators are punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to one year or with fine, or with both. Further, if an individual’s refusal to comply with the directions results in loss of lives or imminent danger thereof, shall on conviction be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to two years.

Time and again, state health officials had emphasised on maintaining of social distancing, cough hygiene, and hand hygiene as effective measures in preventing the spread the Covid-19. The same has been translated and made available to the public in local dialects as well.

With the onset of lockdown, the state government too had directed the citizens to wear face masks and maintain social distancing and made spitting in public places an offence.

It may be mentioned that Covid-19 positive cases are increasing in the state with the tally standing at 459, including more than a dozen frontline workers as on June 30.