Pay hefty fine and also do social service if you spit in public places
Date :03-Jun-2020
Staff Reporter :
To prevent spitting and smoking in public places, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has unveiled a new order where apart from penalising people involved in such a act would also be required to put in social service. The novel concept of public service is now in addition to the existing fines that had an impact, but to make it total the new clause is proposed by Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe who issued a notification about the same on Tuesday.
Spitting in public places has been a major problem in city, especially given the habit of chewing kharra and tobacco among the citizens on mass scale. The careless manner in which the kharra-chewing people spit in public places has been a matter of concern. Of late with outbreak of novel coronavirus it has become imperative to ensure that spitting is totally prohibited as it can further aggravate the infection. In a bid to rein in the violators, the concept of social service along with hefty fine is now proposed by the civic body. Spitting is quite common for those chewing kharra and one can see the sight in Government building, especially corners of staircases that have been defaced by people. For the first offence of spitting in public places the fine is proposed at Rs 1,000 plus one day social service.
During second offence a person would have to shell out Rs 3,000 plus perform three days of social service and if caught a third time then the fine is going to hefty Rs 5,000 plus compulsory five days of social service. Mundhe has relied on provisions of Food and Safety Department’s notification dated July 18, 2013. As per the notification, a person spitting in public can be sentenced to various terms of imprisonment under Sections 268, 270, 272 and 278 of IPC Act 1870.
As per it a person convicted under Sec 268 of IPC can be fined by the court or awarded imprisonment upto six months, under Sec 270 imprisonment upto two years, under Sec 272 imprisonment upto six months or fine and under Sec 278 fine of Rs 500. Cigarettes Banned: NMC has reiterated the Act that bans advertisement, sale and even commercial production, distribution of cigarettes and tobacco products. The notification cited Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Advertisement Ban, Trade and Sale and Commercial Production, Distribution and Circulation) Act 2003.
As per the Act in Sec 4 on conviction one may face fine upto Rs 200, under Sec 5 for first offence fine upto Rs 1,000 or two years jail term or both, for second offence fine upto Rs 5,000 plus five year jail or both, under Sec 6 A and 6 B fine upto Rs 2,000. Under Sec 7 for those engaged in production for first offence fine upto Rs 5,000 or two years jail or both, for second offence fine upto Rs 10,000 or jail term of five year. For those selling tobacco product for first offence fine of Rs 1,000 or jail term of one year for second offence fine upto Rs 3,000 or two year jail term.