MC to take action against hotels, restaurants over waste violations

The Municipal Corporation of Amritsar (MCA) has announced plans to take action against bulk waste generators, particularly hotels and restaurants, that have failed to install in-house waste processing units and are illegally dumping garbage.

The MCA's health wing has identified around 150 bulk waste generators, including hotels, restaurants and banquet halls. Under the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016, any commercial establishment producing over 100 kg of waste per day is classified as a bulk waste generator and is required to install an in-house waste processing system.

However, out of the 150 identified establishments, only 27 have complied with the regulation. The remaining businesses continue to rely on domestic waste collection systems, contributing to the city's mounting waste load and hindering segregation and processing efforts.

Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill expressed concern over the situation. "Many hotels and restaurants operate late into the night and dispose of their waste at odd hours. Our sanitation teams clean the areas at night, but by morning, we find piles of garbage near domestic collection points," he said.

Shergill said the Municipal Corporation would adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards such violations. "Bulk waste generators who fail to comply with the rules will face heavy penalties.