Covid violators in Odisha cough up Rs 1.84 crore fine in 10 days 

BHUBANESWAR: In last 10 days, Odisha Police have collected Rs 1.84 crore fine from people across the State for violating Covid-19 guidelines. That just goes on to say how blatantly people are disrespecting safety norms and posing problem for others.Even as the threat of a second Covid-19 wave looms in the State, the Odisha Police has continued its crackdown against violators of safety norms.

“Enforcement continues against social distancing, mask violations and huge congregations. There is no room for negligence,” said a senior officer in State Police Headquarters, Cuttack. 

While police collected Rs 19.75 lakh fine and seized 628 vehicles from violators on November 21, the amount was Rs 19.50 lakh and 630 vehicles a day later.

Between November 13 and 22, 5,905 vehicles have been seized from violators across the State. At least 41 cases have been registered and 336 people arrested during the period.

According to Odisha Government’s Unlock 6 guidelines, large social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other congregations have been prohibited till November 30. Senior officers said even as field personnel may experience fatigue in the long drawn battle against coronavirus, lowering of guard during the winter may prove detrimental. “People think the coronavirus threat is over and behaving irresponsibly. This poses a challenge for police to enforce the guidelines”, said a senior police officer.

Psychology professor of Utkal University Bhaswati Patnaik said the fatigue of maintaining Covid-19 protocols has set in because people had not imagined that the battle against the virus will go beyond six months. “Though the statistics say that the infection rate has reduced in the State but we cannot be complacent now because of the second wave threat”, she said and cautioned youth to remain more careful for their own safety and well-being of their elderly parents staying with them.