After several of its measures failed to tackle the menace of littering in public places, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has tied up with the Mumbai Police for the purpose.
It has formed 24 squads with civic and police staffers to take action against litterbugs, especially those who throw trash in nullahs. It has appointed two nodal officers from both the organisations for coordination.
The Hindu had reported recently that the BMC has decided to disconnect water supply of people, including slumdwellers, who throw trash in nullahs. On Tuesday, it issued a press note saying it will henceforth take action against litterbugs under the stringent Mumbai Police Act, 1951. The move is to ensure people do not dump garbage in nullahs as well as reduce littering across the city in general.
To ensure this, Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has ordered the creation of 24 nuisance detection squads in the city. The squads will consist of representatives of the police as well as BMC solid waste management, licence, encroachment removal and maintenance departments, a colony officer and a sanitary inspector, among others. In each ward, the BMC’s nuisance detectors (NDs) will ensure cleanliness. NDs are usually BMC staffers as opposed to the controversial clean up marshals.
The corporation has also come out with a standard operating procedure for these squads, for which the officers will receive special training. The squads will focus on areas around nullahs, railway stations, railway tracks and slums. A deputy police commissioner and a BMC officer will work as nodal officers for coordination in this matter.
Action will be taken under Sections 115 and 116 of the Mumbai Police Act.
Besides, the Mumbai police is going to ensure waste segregation and composting is done in police colonies across the city.
