The Municipal Corporation on
Monday started a campaign from Sector 34 to make the city free of
construction waste. In the next two months, construction waste will be
removed from across all sectors, colonies and villages. Thereafter, a
fine will be imposed on the residents who throw construction waste.

While the amount of fine is Rs 500 as per the Municipal Act, the
MC can impose carrier charges on the defaulters which will depend on the
quantity of the construction waste. This implies that the defaulters
will be required to pay the expenses incurred on picking the
construction waste and dumping it at the authorised site.

The drive was flagged off by Mayor Subhash Chawla in the presence
of area councillor Harjinder Kaur and other officials. Different dates
have been fixed for various sectors. All the three road divisions of the
MC will be undertaking the work.

Apart from roadsides and open spaces, the drive will be carried
out in the back lanes and road gullies as well. Special teams have been
constituted for the purpose. A flying squad comprising three members and
one security person will be deployed for keeping a check round the
clock in the wards to curb throwing of construction waste at
unauthorised places.

The Municipal Corporation will authorise some places as malba
dumping sites. Mayor Subhash Chawla said, “A part of the construction
waste collected will be utilised to fill up the low-lying areas of the
sectors. The pits will be filled up. This was done during the drive
today. Within two months all areas will be free of construction waste.
Thereafter, the residents will be fined for any violations.” 

The mayor appealed to resident welfare associations and NGOs to
participate in the campaign. In sectors where the drive will be started,
the work for pruning as well as painting the curb channels has also
been initiated with the aim of sprucing up the area.

The efforts of the MC to prepare Malba Bylaws have not borne
fruit. While a draft was prepared a few years back, it could not be
finalised.

Meanwhile, the councillors of the Congress said they were not
made a part of the drive. They alleged that they were not even informed
about the initiative. However, Chawla said the officers had started the
drive and invited him for inaugurating it.