Chennai Corporation slaps Rs 100 fine on morning walker in violation of lockdown

Chennai

On Thursday, Chennai Corporation officials attached to Kodambakkam zone collected a fine of Rs 100 from a 64-year-old person, who went for a morning walk on Usman Road. Similarly, on Wednesday, the officials fined a person of Rs 300 citing that he was walking on the road.

When asked, a senior Chennai Corporation official said that the civic body has been collecting fine from the beginning of the lockdown. “Penalties have been imposed at the zonal level and the police are also collecting fines from the violators,” he added.

It may be noted that the civic body had relaxed norms during ‘unlock 1.0’ and remained soft against persons who went for the morning walk at beaches. Soon after the State government announced complete lockdown starting from June 19, stricter restrictions were introduced in the city. Residents are only allowed outside to buy essentials, that too within the radius of 2 kilometres.

While speaking to the reporters, Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said that the civic body had collected Rs 1 crore as penalty from lockdown violaters and persons found roaming without masks during the lockdown period. “The police are also doing this. Apart from this, we have also sealed around 1,000 shops and establishments for violating the restrictions,” he added.

When asked, the resident who paid Rs 100 penalty for going for morning walk said that he did not know morning walk is banned during the lockdown. “However, the issue got sorted out and now I understand the norms,” he said.

Meanwhile, the civic body has already started to file police complaints against persons who are violating home quarantine. “We have geo-tagged quarantined persons. If they venture out, we will receive alerts and our sanitary inspectors will file complaints,” another official said.

Pvt hosp sealed for treating fever patients
The Revenue Divisional officer sealed a private hospital, which was treating patients with fever, near Maduranthagam on Wednesday. The health department had announced that private hospitals should not treat patients with fever. Sources said that Maruthi private hospital in Maduranthagam violated the norms and has been providing treatments to fever patients. Even though the district administration and the health department warned the hospital several times, it continued. On Wednesday evening, Maduranthagam RDO Lakshmi Priya and Municipal Commissioner visited the hospital and sealed it. Patients at the hospital were taken to a government hospital and tested for coronavirus. A case has been registered against the hospital and further inquiry is on.