If the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) gets its way, citizens will find themselves forking out ₹1,000 as way of fines for not wearing masks and failing to cover their mouth and nose in public. At present, citizens have to pay ₹200, but the civic body has proposed that the State government increase the amount.
BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad, while holding a videoconference on Saturday said the question of fines was raised at a recent meeting with the Chief Secretary.
“The decision has to be taken at the government level,” Mr. Prasad said, while reiterating that wearing masks and keeping a distance from others in public spaces was the most effective way of reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
In the first week of May, when masks were made mandatory in the city, a notification was issued by the then civic chief saying that people not wearing masks would be…