Maha govt announces penalties for breach of COVID norms amid scare over new variant

With the new coronavirus variant `Omicron' causing worldwide concern, the Maharashtra government on Saturday announced penalties for not following COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB).

As to rules for international travelers, state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte told PTI that the government was working on it in collaboration with the Mumbai civic body and Union health ministry.

All travelers from foreign countries shall be governed by directions of the Union government while domestic travelers arriving in the state shall either be fully vaccinated or carry a negative RT-PCR test report valid for 72 hours, said an official notification.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar had said earlier in the day that passengers from South Africa, where cases of the new variant have been found, will be quarantined and their samples will be sent for genome sequencing.

Any person not following CAB will be fined Rs 500, new guidelines issued by the government said.

If such violation by a person takes place on the premises of an organization which is supposed to impose CAB, it will be fined Rs 10,000.

If any organization itself fails to follow CAB, it will face a fine of Rs 50,000, and frequent violations of rules will lead to its closure for the period of the pandemic.

Violation of rules in private taxis or in public transport vehicles will lead to fine of Rs 500, while owner of the transport agency shall be fined Rs 10,000.

Full vaccination would be mandatory for using any means of public transport, the notification said.

The universal pass of the state government will be valid proof of full vaccination (having taken two doses).

At public programs, shows or events, whether ticketed or non-ticketed, full vaccination would be mandatory for organizers as well as participants/viewers.

Shops, malls and other locations where any service is provided, employees as well as customers will have to be fully vaccinated.

For those below 18 years of age (and hence not vaccinated), government or school-issued photo identity cards would be necessary.

Adult persons who could not take the vaccine for medical reasons should carry a medical certificate.

Gatherings in enclosed space will be allowed with 50 per cent capacity while those in open places will be allowed with 25 per cent capacity.