Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 11
Be ready to pay a penalty ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 10,000 if you fail to segregate waste at your house or commercial establishment from tomorrow.
The Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, has made segregation of solid waste mandatory from October 12.
Though the MC had notified the solid waste bylaws earlier, making segregation of waste mandatory got delayed owing to various reasons. Fearing action from the National Green Tribunal, the MC has now made segregation of waste must from tomorrow even though it does not seem to be fully prepared for it. The NGT had fixed a deadline for the MC to implement the solid waste management rules.
The civic body has failed to sign an MoU with door-to-door garbage collectors so far. Arrangements for segregation of waste at sehaj safai kendras (SSKs) have also not been completed. Waste collectors do not have vehicles for segregation of waste.
Sanjay Kumar Jha, Special Commissioner, MC, said waste collectors would not take non-segregated garbage from tomorrow. Residents not following the directions will face penalty as per the Solid Waste Management Rules.
The MC has also directed the collectors not to pick garbage from households which do not segregate waste.
Sources said the MC had formed teams under sanitary inspectors to check and penalise the violators. Jha said the MC would focus on making people aware about the rules and at the same time, penalty would also be imposed.
Under the rules, a fine of Rs 200 has been fixed for defaulting households, while hotels and clubs will have to shell out Rs 10,000. The penalty provision has also been made for waste collectors in case they are found wanting in performing their duties.
How much violators have to pay
- Houses Rs 200
- Commercial establishments such as clubs, cinema halls and multiplexes Rs 10,000
- Market welfare assns Rs 20,000
- Gated societies Rs 10,000
- Institutions Rs 20,000
- Restaurants Rs 20,000