Patna Municipal Corporation plans to slap fine for garbage dump

PATNA: Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials are soon going to keep a tab on the Patnaites' habit to throw garbage randomly. They have decided to impose a fine of Rs 1,000 on anyone caught throwing garbage anywhere except for the garbage lifting pointsIn a bid to keep the city roads clean, the garbage lifting points are going to be changed.

"All the garbage bins would be shifted from the major intersections and roads of the city to get rid of the stinking situation," said PMC commissioner, Pankaj Kumar Pal. He added, "PMC will appoint three officials who will be on the move to catch the persons throwing garbage outside the garbage bins."Under the plan, garbage-lifting points on Frazer Road, Dak Bungalow roundabout, near Patna Junction, Boring Road, Patliputra Colony, New Bypass and Old Bypass, Ashok Rajpath and a few other areas would be shifted to nearby lanes. A large number of cattle gather near the garbage points on important roads, leading to traffic chaos and slow vehicular movement.According to PMC data, Patna generates 1,000 tonnes of solid waste daily. The city has been virtually garbage-ridden ever since A2Z Infrastructure, a private firm, suspended its services due to non-payment of its dues by PMC in July last year.PMC officials admitted that encroachments, dumping of solid wastes and deposition of silt choked drainage channels causing waterlogging in the central and eastern areas of Patna during the rainy season.

"Many city drains were found choked with plastic bags. Despite repeated requests to the Patnaites, use of plastic bags could not be controlled," said Pal.According to a PMC official, the civic body lacks adequate infrastructure to provide proper sanitation service. "In the past 10 years, Patna's residential area has grown three times while its population has grown four times. But the PMC's manpower has declined," he said.Sources said PMC has been providing sanitation service with only 1,300 regular sanitation workers, 59 tractors and around a dozen loaders. "Thus, garbage collection is the main challenge," said Pal.