Coronavirus Scare: Now, Pay Rs 500 Fine For Chewing Paan In BMC, BDA, BSCL Offices

Bhubaneswar: The city administration here has urged everyone, including officers and visitors, to refrain from chewing paan or gutkha while on the office premises.

Henceforth, anyone found chewing paan or gutkha inside Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) offices would cough up a penalty of at least Rs 500.

The administration has taken the decision as a part of measure to enhance sanitation at these offices in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Besides, the step will help to keep the building corridors and premises of the office clean and hygienic, a source said.

BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary had called an emergency meeting on Friday evening to fix action plans for officers to combat the spread of COVID-19.

As part of its preventive measures against coronavirus, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had declared the disease as a ‘state disaster’ and allocated ₹200 crore to combat it.

The state hasn’t reported any cases of coronavirus as yet.