BMC files FIR against Gauahar Khan for flouting Covid-19 guidelines

Mumbai, Mar 15: In the light of a rise in COVID- 19 cases, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Monday filed an FIR against actress Gauahar Khan for flouting Covid-19 rules.

According to the report, the actress had stepped out to shoot despite testing positive for Covid-19.

While tweeting the copy of the FIR, the BMC said, "No Compromise On City's Safety! BMC has filed an FIR against a Bollywood actor for non-compliance to COVID19 guidelines on testing positive. The rules apply to all alike and we urge citizens to follow all guidelines and help the city beat the virus."

The Mumbai civic body had earlier decided to register offences against people who violate safety guidelines, an official said on Thursday.

The civic body has intensified action against people found without masks in public, and will take action against function halls, gymnasiums and other establishments that don''t follow safety norms, the official said.

It has decided to fine function halls, gymnasiums and restaurants if the number of patrons/ attendees is found to be beyond the permissible limit, Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, told PTI.

These establishments will be prosecuted if they continue to flout the norms, he said.

The permissible limit of guests at function halls is 50, while restaurants are allowed to operate with 50 per cent occupancy at any given time.

Similar action will be taken against those who flout the rules at weddings and other social gatherings in the city and BMC teams will raid event venues, he said.

The civic body has also decided to double the number of clean-up marshals, who can impose fine on those who do not wear mask in public, from 2,400 to 4,800.

According to official data, the BMC has caught more than 15 lakh people roaming in public without mask and collected over Rs 30.69 crore in fine since April 1, 2020.

Buildings with more than five COVID-19 patients will be sealed, the BMC has decided.

If an asymptomatic patient steps out of house or walks around in a public space before home quarantine period is over, housing societies should inform Ward War Rooms, the civic body said.

Officials at Ward War Rooms should take legal action against such patients and put them under compulsory institutional quarantine, it said.