Now Police Can Impose Fines Up To Rs 5,000 For Spitting On Mumbai Streets

Spitting on Mumbai streets will be an offense that could be potentially very expensive. The Maharashtra State cabinet has approved an innovative anti-spitting law that combines monetary punishment with mandatory community service. The fine varies from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000. A first time offence could cost about ₹1,000 as fine and a day of social work at a public hospital or a government office whilst 2nd-time offenders will pay ₹3,000 plus 3-day community service, while repeat offenders will have to shell out ₹5,000 & 5-day community service, respectively.

Spitting and TB
1/3rd of World’s TB patients are in India, even China is behind India on TB patients. Sputum (a mixture of saliva and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract) +ve patient can produce about 20 new cases of TB in a year. Preventing the occurrence of new cases is closely linked with avoiding this dreadful habit of spitting. The contaminated sputum, spat out by active TB patients, is one of the sources of infection to others is believed to be the main reason for harbouring the largest number of TB patients, almost 1/3 of the total TB patients in the world, in India.

The Logical Indian welcomes the new rules and requests other states to take up similar laws to curb the menace of spitting. We congratulate the Maharashtra government for the same.