Violators of pandemic norms to be punished with upto 2 years in jail, cache of fines in Rajasthan

Yash Goyal
Our Correspondent
Jaipur, May 3 

The Rajasthan government has introduced an Epidemic Diseases Ordinance to punish those violating pandemic norms with up to 2 years of jail and a cache of cash fines for violating norms including not wearing a face mask, spitting, consuming liquor, and not maintaining social distancing in public.

The ordinance, cleared by the Governor Kalraj Mishra on May 1, states to consolidate the laws related to the regulation and prevention of epidemic diseases.

Under prevailing Coronavirus pandemic season, the ordinance amended the Rajasthan Epidemic Disease Act, 1957 by making disobedience of any regulation or obstruction of any officer from discharging his/her duties as a punishable offence with imprisonment of up to two years and/or a maximum cash fine of Rs 10,000.

The ordinance also enables the state government to restrict emergency services including banks, media, healthcare and food, electricity, water and fuel supply during any pandemic/epidemic.

The ordinance has defined penalties for flouting guidelines in which anyone not wearing a face mask will be fined Rs.200, a shopkeeper selling for those not wearing a mask is Rs.500, spitting, consuming liquor, paan, gutka, selling liquor etc without social distancing, organizing marriage-related function/gathering without prior information will have to pay fines in the range of Rs.100 to 5,000.

The ordinance will primarily cover the front line workers/warriors who are subjected to harassment and violence while dealing with epidemics. The ordinance will not give any legal excuse route or way to defaulters in any case.