Bengaluru: Following the huge surge in the number of COVID-19 cases across the state, the government decided to increase the penalty amount for not wearing mask in public areas by five folds-Rs.1,000 in the urban areas and Rs.500 in the rural areas.

CM BS Yediyurappa approved this proposal.

According to the health department authorities, in all the villages and urban areas, this mask rule will be implemented without fail. PDOs in the villages will be asked to implement the new rule.

According to the sources, in many districts, the crackdown has started already. “In Ballari city, over thousand people were penalised on Thursday while in Koppal over Rs.2 lakh fine amount was collected,” informed an officer from the health department.

“There is an urgent need to bring discipline among the people to contain the spread. Else, the situation may go out of our control. So, we are initiating strict action,” he concluded.