By Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur: For those in habit of chewing tobacco and spitting this could be an important piece of information. While undertaking train journey such habit can draw penal action. Spitting and littering in railway premises as well as trains already a punishable offence, to discourage the habit railways has started coming hard on offenders through penal actions of imposing fine and imprisonment.
With help of CCTV cameras installed in railway premises, the offenders are being identified on regular basis. In eastern railway zone the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been entrusted responsibility of behavioral correction concerning spitting and littering in railway premises and trains.
A total fine amount of Rs 17,66,010 was realized from offenders in the quarter July to August in current year taking together fine collected from four divisions of the zone namely Howrah division, Sealdah division, Asansol division and Malda division.
Of total offenders fined in entire zone for spitting and littering in railway premises and trains in the period between July to August, 4958 were apprehended in Howrah division, 2023 in Sealdah division, 2214 in Asansol division and 3704 people in Malda division.
Stepping up vigil further for restricting spitting and littering in railway premises and trains, in the month of October total fine amount of Rs 15, 37, 965 was collected from offenders taking together aforementioned four divisions of the zone.
Of the four divisions maximum 4666 offenders were nabbed in Sealdah division followed by 2786 offenders in Howrah division and 2304 and 714 offenders respectively in Asansol and Malda divisions of zone.
Apart from taking penal action for restricting spitting and littering in railway premises and trains for behavioral correction concerning spitting and littering by passengers, awareness drive has been also started by eastern railway with stress on cleanliness.
- Writer Avijit Biswas, former principal correspondent of Hindustan Times Bhagalpur bureau, can be contacted at biswasavijit@yahoo.comContact number (mobile): +919431095516
