Sources said the pub, which was fined Rs 30,000, had 275 patrons, most of them without masks, after midnight.
It is worrying that an increasing number of establishments are seeing large crowds without their customers following the mandate of the masks. Authorities must hold these places and even customers accountable. As experts have made clear, irresponsible behavior could result in an escalation of coronavirus cases and possibly a second wave as well, which everyone in the city must do everything we can to keep at bay.
The BMC collected Rs 43,000 in fines after raiding four restaurants / pubs, the others being Dadar’s Pritam Hotel, Kandivli’s Hotel Bhagwati and Malad’s Rude Lounge. Civic chief Iqbal Chahal warned: “Corona is not over yet. We are against the night curfew, but citizens should not wreak havoc on Christmas and New Years and force us to enforce it. ”
BMC breaks the whip on errant bars and restaurants, raids kept under wraps
The end of the year celebrations seem to have already taken off in the city, as bars, pubs and restaurants are witnessing a large turnout, especially late at night, which has become a cause for concern for the BMC.
The civic body has authorized its 24 ward officers under the Epidemic Law and the Disaster Management Law to take action for violation of Covid regulations. The offenses are filed under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, which carries six months in jail or a fine of Rs 1,000.
The BMC has created teams made up of agents from the construction, health, fire department and Covid-19 departments to carry out raids. “There are about 10 people on each team, but the raids are very confidential. No one knows where the raid will take place. Some officials reconnoitre the room and report if they see large crowds, “said a civic official, requesting anonymity. “Restaurants and pubs have been allowed to operate at 50% capacity, including staff. We check in the records the seating capacity, the arrangement of the tables, the number of people present and if the sanitary rules are followed in the kitchen. Trash is also inspected to make sure masks and gloves are not thrown away with kitchen waste. Logs are checked to see if staff health updates are being logged. This is necessary since they move from table to table ”, added the official.
Civic officials said conducting a raid is not easy. “There are discussions and we have to be patient and do the inspection. On Sunday night, after raids on various restaurants and pubs in the city, many of us made it home in the early hours of Monday, ”said a BMC official.
BMC teams are authorized to fine customers Rs 200 each for not wearing a mask, but with hundreds present it becomes difficult, another official said.
Sukesh Shetty, secretary of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHAR), said its members have been repeatedly told to abide by the rules. “It is after almost eight months that restaurants, pubs, nightclubs and bars have opened. Also, not all high-end restaurants have been able to resume operations. Many remain closed. There is a limited window period of three hours during which business can be done … We ask the government to increase working hours, ”he said.
Sources in the hotel industry said they do not want a second closure, but noted that it is now a matter of economic survival for the industry. “A landlord has to earn money to pay rent, pay wages and then run his own house. The streets are full of street vendors, the buses are crowded, why target only the hotel industry? asked a source.
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