After NGT’s snub, Jalandhar MC works on waste lifting; fixes charges, fine

Jalandhar, September 2

As the National Green Tribunal has gone harsh against municipal corporations over the waste management, the MC, Jalandhar, has taken some decisions to ensure the effective waste lifting and processing system.

It has fixed the monthly charges to be levied from each household, public and private setup. Various categories depending on the size of the house or the establishment have also been created for levying of charges. As per the plan, even a slum dweller will have to pay up Rs 30 per month for garbage lifting. There are nine categories for guesthouses/restaurants/hotels wherein the charges have been fixed from Rs 100 to Rs 5,000.

The MC has also made it mandatory for everyone to seek prior approval for holding a gathering or a public event with waste collection arrangement, failing which helfty penalties will be imposed in the range of Rs 2,500 to Rs 2 lakh. The charges will depend upon the kind of violation committed such as use of plastic or thermocol crockery, no provision of segregation of waste and burning of waste. Another factor will be the size of the gathering for which four categories have been formed.

For anyone dumping waste in open, 24 categories have been created for finalising the penalty amount which could vary, depending on whether it is domestic waste, hotel waste, domestic animal waste, hospital waste, etc. The charges for the first time offence will range between Rs 250 and Rs 25,000 and become double as the same offence will be committed for the second time.