Penalties to rise as BMC set to implement new solid waste management bylaws

How are the new guidelines going to affect residents?

For residents of Mumbai, the most important aspect will be the introduction of a user fee. Till now, the BMC didn’t charge any fee for collecting waste from residential units and commercial establishments. Alongside this, the BMC has also announced hikes in penalties for spitting, littering and garbage burning in public spaces to ensure strict enforcement.

According to the proposed guidelines, the BMC has increased the penalty of littering and spitting on roads to Rs 500 and Rs 250, respectively, from Rs 200. Bathing at public spaces is going to cost Rs 300, up from Rs 100. Urination and defecation in the open will invite a penalty of Rs 500, up from Rs 100. The BMC has also proposed a penalty of Rs 200 on individual waste generators and Rs 1,000 on bulk waste generators for delivering non-segregated waste.

Earlier this week, the BMC proposed that the penalty of garbage burning be hiked to Rs 1,000 from Rs 100. The authorities maintained that commercial properties where waste is burnt at public spaces will be charged Rs 10,000 as a penalty. Penalties for littering and defecation by pets in public spaces have been revised to Rs 1,000 from Rs 500. The BMC has also proposed a penalty of Rs 20,000 for unauthorised dumping of constructing debris and a penalty of Rs 25,000 has been proposed for transporting construction debris without taking approval from authorities.

Why is BMC levying a user fee from residents?

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has mandated the levying of users free from residents by urban local bodies, as part of the new solid waste management rules.

According to the proposed structure, residential units that have a built-up area less than 50 sq m will be charged Rs 100 per month, units having an area between 50 sq m and 300 sq m will be charged Rs 500, while any residential unit above 500 sq m will have to pay Rs 1,000 every month. Hotels and restaurants will be levied a monthly fee between Rs 1,500-Rs 7,500 depending on their categorisation, while clinics and dispensaries will be charged between Rs 2,000-Rs 5,000 depending on their bed capacity. Commercial establishments like small shops will have to pay Rs 500, while banquets and public halls will have to pay charges between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,500 depending on their capacity.

Kiran Dighavkar, deputy municipal commissioner (solid waste management), told The Indian Express, “Almost all the major civic bodies including Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata had implemented it already. Therefore, as part of the new bylaws, we have proposed an introduction of these charges. The new fee will be levied on a monthly basis while it will be charged annually as an additional component in the property tax bills.”

The BMC in its draft of the amendment said that it aims to generate an annual revenue of Rs 687 crore by implementing solid waste management fees on residential units alone. Civic officials maintained that the generated revenue will be used to strengthen Mumbai’s solid waste management infrastructure.

“Mumbai generates around 8,000 metric tonnes (MT) of waste daily and we require a mammoth of manpower and services for providing solid waste management services. The generated revenue will allow us to strengthen our infrastructure and provide us an alternative source of revenue,” Dighavkar said.