Pune’s litter-free initiative may slap you with Rs 10,000 fine

PUNE: As against the proposed fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs1 lakh for various nuisances such as letting dogs poop on the roads, spitting in public places, urinating in non-designated places, feeding birds at public places and throwing trash from a moving car, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday decided to keep it between Rs 200 to Rs10,000.

PMC cleared the proposal under the Public Health and Sanitation Bye-laws 2017.

“After getting the nod from PMC general body, it will be forwarded to the state for final approval,” PMC solid waste management department head Suresh Jagtap told Hindustan Times.

Earlier, PMC administration had proposed fines between Rs 5,000 and Rs 1 lakh but the elected members brought down the amount to Rs 200-Rs10,000. PMC standing committee chairman Murlidhar Mohol said that the panel has taken a practical decision by rationalising the fines and kept it open for review in future.

To address the garbage problem in the city, PMC had suggested various strict measures and increased the fine amount to check residents from not following a cleanliness routine and create a more sensible society.

If the citizens fail to pay the fine called as ‘compromise fee’, the civic body will be entitled to file a police case against the offender under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Along with the ‘compromise fee’, which is a clear fine for violators, the PMC will also levy high administrative charges. Previously, these fines were negligible. The administrative charges for each crime would be in between Rs1,000 and Rs 2,000 for each violation along with the fine amount.

PMC has identified almost 50 types of specific offences and fixed fines for them. Along with the fine, the civic body has proposed administrative charges for each violation. The administration has also proposed a special nuisance detection squad.

Garbage collection may become ‘paid’ soon

Residents and hoteliers in Pune may have to pay garbage collection charges ranging from Rs 360 to Rs 6,000 per annum.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) standing committee on Tuesday agreed to introduce user charges for garbage collection in the city. The civic body accepted the by-laws for public health and sanitation imposing additional charges.

While standing committee chairman Murlidhar Mohol and civic body officials accepted that it was indirectly a dual taxation, they agreed that it was the need of the hour.

Mohol said, “The standing committee has accepted the by-laws for public health and sanitation. Under it, municipal administration proposed user charges and fines. These measures are needed to keep the city clean with follow effective solid waste management practices.”

Pune Municipal Corporation is already collecting tax from citizens for solid waste management as property tax.

The civic administration claimed that the proposed charge for garbage collection Is not tax but user fee.

Solid waste management department head Suresh Jagtap said, “PMC has proposed user charges for solid waste collection. Residents of some parts of the city are already paying money to SWaCH staff who collect garbage from doorsteps. The present move is just an extension of that initiative and rates are fixed.”

Slum dwellers will also have to pay user charges with each household will pay ₹30 per month for garbage collection. Pune Municipal Corporation can collect these user charges either by any agency like SWaCH, agent or itself.

Mohol said that the proposal, after general body’s approval, would be forwarded to the state government for final permission.