If you are Mumbai resident and residing in a co-operative society, then you should know that the housing societies can collect a fine of Rs 1000 from you if you are found not wearing the facemask inside the society premises.
In a first such directive, the office of assistant registrar of the co-operatives department (S Ward) has directed housing societies under its jurisdiction to impose a penalty on those not wearing the mask inside society premises.
The letter issued by the registrar pointed out that BMC had already made social distancing and facemask mandatory in public places. BMC has also made a provision to impose fine of Rs 1000 on those breaching facemask norms, it added.
“The management committee needs to get the approval of the general/special general meeting to take any punitive action against the concerned for negating to use the mask despite the request of the office-bearers of the organization. However, due to the articles on COVID-19, the organization is unable to convene a general meeting / special public meeting. And there is no provision in the law for holding public meetings by video conferencing. It is also not possible for the officials of the organization to complain to the police every time against the irresponsible residents concerned.”
The letter by Rajesh Lovekar, assistant registrar co-operative societies, S-Division, states that while explaining the reason behind issuing of the directive, they have requested instructions in this regard from the office level.
However, Jeby Patel and Vijay Patel of All India Cooperative Housing Societies Association (AICHSWA) said they had no objection to the move. Still, there was no clarity as to who will issue the receipt against the collection of fine and where to deposit money — with the society or else BMC?.”
“Had the registrar clarified on the fine collection and its use, things could have been easier for us to implement on it quickly,” they added.
Whereas many co-operative societies across Mumbai welcome these directives and some of them even circulated the same in their society social groups.
