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Now, you will be fined for littering

Tuesday, 28 January 2014 06:55 administrator
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The Hindu              28.01.2014 

Now, you will be fined for littering

The HDMC has put up boards in each ward in Hubli, displaying information about the cleaning contractor and the penalty for littering.
The HDMC has put up boards in each ward in Hubli, displaying information about the cleaning contractor and the penalty for littering.

Residents disposing waste in public places will have to cough up a fine from now onwards.

The Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has fixed a fine on littering and will be taking steps to implement the decision soon. The HDMC’s action follows an amendment to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, that enables the imposition of a fine on those violating the law on solid waste disposal, and is in accordance with the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Law, 2000.

The HDMC recently initiated weekly cleaning drives with the objective of keeping the city clean. As part of the initiative, the corporation installed information boards in designated places in all the wards, containing information on the cleaning contractor and contact numbers in case of complaints. Fines for different offences is as follows:

Under the law, littering/throwing of waste, spitting, urinating or defecating on roads, bus stations, railway stations, playgrounds, parks and other public places will attract a fine of Rs. 100 for the first and second time and Rs. 200 subsequently.

The public will have to pay a fine for failing to segregate dry and wet waste. For first and second-time offences, households will have to pay Rs. 100 and Rs. 500 afterwards. For commercial complexes and establishments generating waste in large quantities, the fine for the first two times is Rs. 500 and for subsequent offences it is Rs. 1,000.

Lack of cleanliness and hygiene in public places will attract a fine of Rs. 100 for the first two times and Rs. 200 subsequently.

Failure to segregate park waste, biodegradable and non biodegradable waste, bio-medical waste and other wastes will attract a fine of Rs. 500 initially and Rs. 1,000 for subsequent offences.

Collection of effluents and solid waste in an unorganised manner will attract Rs. 100 initially and Rs. 200 subsequently. A similar fine will be imposed for discharging effluents on the road and for storing carcasses and effluents. Under the law, the haphazard disposal of construction debris will be penalised with a fine of Rs. 1,000 for the first two times and Rs. 5,000 subsequently.

Helpline

HDMC Special Officer S.H. Naregal said that while steps will be taken to effectively implement the law, a helpline (0836-2213888, 2213898) has been set up to allow the public to register complaints about violations in solid waste disposal.