State asks urban local bodies to ‘spot fine’ those caught spitting, dirtying streets
The government said municipal corporations and councils in the A and B category should slap a fine of Rs 180 for dirtying streets, while those spitting in public places should be fined Rs 150. Those caught urinating and defecating on streets will have to cough up Rs 200 and Rs 500 each.
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The civic bodies were supposed to frame by-laws for implementing solid waste management rules, but most of them are yet to do so.
The state government has empowered urban local bodies to ‘spot fine’ local residents or organisations over failure to follow the Solid Waste Management rules framed by it in 2016.
The move comes after the Supreme Court pulled up three state governments, including Maharashtra, and said they had failed to frame a policy on solid waste management.
In a government resolution (GR) issued on Friday, the government said municipal corporations and councils in the A and B category should slap a fine of Rs 180 on those responsible for making the streets dirty, while those spitting in public places should be fined Rs 150. Those urinating in the open will have to cough up Rs 200 and those defecating in the open will have to pay a fine of Rs 500.
Municipal corporations and councils in C and D category have been asked to impose a fine of Rs 150 on those making the streets dirty, Rs 100 for spitting in a public place, Rs 100 for urinating in the open and Rs 500 for defecating in the open.
“All municipal corporations and municipal councils are empowered to penalise local residents and organisations violating the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 framed by the state government. It has to be implemented with immediate effect,” stated the GR.
The state government has also fixed the responsibility of segregation of waste on the generator of the waste, as per the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, and put the responsibility of waste processing on entities that generate 100 kg of waste per day.
In May 2017, the state government had issued directions about solid waste management to urban local bodies, asking them to segregate waste and process it. “Urban local bodies are trying to provide the service to local residents as per the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 and there are expectations from local residents to cooperate in its implementation,” it said.
The civic bodies were supposed to frame by-laws for implementing solid waste management rules and make a provision to ‘spot fine’ local residents violating the rules. But most civic bodies are yet to prepare such by-laws.
The GR brought up this issue, stating, “The state government, in December 2017, decided to have uniformity among all urban local bodies for ‘spot fining’ those violating the rules, and empowered the civic bodies to penalise those not following the rules, while seeking citizens’ opinion on it within 15 days. There has been no suggestion or objection on the decision of fixing the penalty amount and powers…,” it said.
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