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.