Think again if you are planning to carry the ubiquitous carry bag or any other single-use product made of plastic. Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT), which was among the first in the country to come up with plastic ban, has announced to levy a hefty fine of ₹5,000 on those caught using it.
At a meeting with sanitary officials and secretaries to discuss preparedness for Swachh Survekshan 2021 here on Tuesday, MCT Commissioner P.S. Girisha announced that the fine could be anywhere between ₹1,000 and ₹5,000, depending on the gravity of the offence. Also, those found dumping garbage on the road or in the drain would be fined ₹100 to ₹500. The civic staff carrying swiping machines would levy the fine on the spot and collect amount, he said.
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In a giant leap towards electronic administration, collection of monthly user charges from the public, at the rate of ₹30 in urban areas and ₹20 for slums, will now be digital as the same will be collected through swiping machines on the mobile app and deliver an e-receipt in the form of SMS to the user’s mobile phones. “We once lay emphasis on source segregation of garbage and appeal to the public to separate wet and dry waste at their home, before giving away to our staff,” Mr. Girisha said. The corporation has also deployed 30 auto rickshaws into service to ferry the garbage in interior areas and remote colonies.
Deputy Commissioner Chandramouliswara Reddy also participated in the meeting.