The men-in-uniform issued challans for violating the norm of not wearing the face-masks. However, tourists and even locals prefer not to carry cash but make payments through the digital mode. It is learnt many tourists at Colva beach were unable to pay the penalty in cash. They were left with no option but to make the payment through Google Pay to an ice-cream vendor who in turn handed the amount to the cops after the cash transaction was complete. It must be said that besides cash payment people who have to pay penalty for not wearing the face-mask as also for violations of various traffic rules, need to have the option to make digital payment of the penalty on the spot. It is pertinent to note that in Kerala in a bid to make enforcement faster, increase transparency and reduce workload of field officers, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has rolled out e-challans through point-of-sale (POS) machines for traffic offenders to pay fines. Offenders booked by the enforcement personnel on the roads have the option of making cash payment or swipe their debit/credit cards on the spot for payment of fines. In Goa, besides being able to pay the penalty for traffic violations, such a payment facility needs to be available to those penalized for not wearing the mask as well.
