RANIPET: In order to crack down on the violations of COVID safety norms by individuals and standard operating procedures (SOP) by firms, special teams have been formed in Ranipet district. On Wednesday, the enforcement officials slapped fines on 150 persons for the violations.
The special teams, consisting of officials from various government departments and agencies including 18 Revenue Inspectors, 26 Health Inspectors, 36 police Sub Inspectors, 9 Sanitary Inspectors and 9 Executive Officers of town panchayats, were constituted by district collector S Divyadharshini to go after those violating the SOPs.
These officials are empowered to slap fines on those who are found violating the SOP and social distancing norms in their respective jurisdictional areas.
The Tamil Nadu government has recently promulgated an ordinance - Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939 (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, to effectively ensure adherence to COVID norms in the wake of lockdown relaxations.
The fine amount for violations are:
Ranipet Sub-Collector and Arakkonam RDO are the designated officers for implementing the law on slapping fine for violations.
The authorities have already begun to penalize the violators with fines in the district.
“On Wednesday, 150 persons were fined for violation of social distancing norms and non-compliance of wearing masks. Rs. 25,700 was collected from them,” a top official of Health Department said.
He added that the fine was imposed on individuals and shop keepers.
So far Rs. 68,000 fine amount has been collected across Ranipet district, the official informed.
Commercial establishments are yet to be checked for compliance of SOP, he noted.