The Chennai Corporation proposes to effect a steep increase in the maximum fine for littering — from ₹50 to ₹25,000 in the city.
The civic body has framed solid waste management bylaws under Section 349 of the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act of 1919 to collect fines ranging from ₹100 to ₹25,000 for littering.
“Event organisers will pay the maximum fine of ₹25,000 for non-segregation, littering, burying and burning of waste,” said an official. Currently, the civic body is empowered to collect merely ₹50 from violators as per statutory provisions, officials said.
The bylaws apply to domestic, institutional, commercial and any other non-residential solid waste generators, as well as individuals who dump solid waste in stormwater drains, underground sewage systems and waterbodies in the city.
For example, any resident who dumps garbage on the street will have to pay a fine of ₹1,000 to the Chennai Corporation.
Those who burn solid waste in public spaces will also be penalised. Owners of non-residential buildings who litter public spaces will pay a fine of ₹2,000. But traders will have to pay just ₹1000 for littering public spaces.
Persons who spit in public spaces will have to pay a fine of ₹100. Street vendors who fail to use garbage containers will have to pay a fine of ₹100.
Residents who dump garden waste on the road will have to pay a fine of ₹1,000.
Bylaws for fine collection
After notification of the bylaws, sanitary inspectors will collect fines from persons littering public places including roads, arch roads, viaducts, lanes, footways, alleys, passages, highways, causeways, bridges, square alleys, parks, gardens, recreation grounds, playgrounds, beaches, water bodies, water courses, public plazas, promenades, government buildings, public hospitals, markets, slaughter houses and courts. In exercise of the powers conferred under Sections 3, 6, and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Central government has already enacted the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 to regulate the management of solid waste.
Every resident, institution or commercial establishment will be asked to segregate and store the waste in three separate bins, namely biodegradable, non-biodegradable and domestic hazardous waste, and hand over segregated waste to authorised waste pickers or waste collectors, officials said.
