Spitting in public places can land you in trouble

Govt. prohibits it to prevent virus spread

Here is an alert to the public. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 government has issued orders prohibiting spitting in public places.

Following a letter issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MH&FW), Special Chief Secretary (Health) K.S. Jawahar Reddy issued the orders in this regard.

The authorities concerned were instructed to implement the orders strictly.

The violators are punishable under the provisions of IPC and the CrPC, the orders said.

Under Section 2 of The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and The Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has appealed to the public to refrain from consuming tobacco or chewing gutkha products and spitting in public places.

The dreaded virus has brought to the fore the importance of personal hygiene and maintaining cleanliness at public places during the pandemic. The habit of spitting in open places may cause infections, particularly the spread of coronavirus, the orders said.

Officials would be strictly implementing the orders and have already started keeping a vigil.

Already, a few States have banned spitting in public places and booked the violators.