Swatchh Bharat gets a big boost with 'spot fines' proposed for littering

At long last, rules are being formulated by the Union environment ministry so that "spot fines" can be imposed on anyone who is found to litters streets or public spaces and also for any household that fails to segregate its waste before handing it over to waste collectors.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 6 April 2016.

Labeled as the solid waste management rules, 2016, it has been issued by the ministry and proposes the introduction of "user fees" to be paid by "waste generators" - households, markets and offices - to local authorities for waste collection. Under the rules, street food vendors, housing societies, political rallies and even wedding organizers would have to take necessary steps for appropriate disposal of the wastes they generate.
Some of these rules are already there in many states but are hardly ever enforced - for example the littering fine in Calcutta - it ranges from Rs 50 to Rs 5,000 but remains on paper. Environmental experts who keep track of solid and municipal waste management have indicated that there is no clarity on just how the rules would be enforced.
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar while announcing the rules, has acknowledged a role for civic and rural bodies. In his words - the quantum of user fees and spot fines will have to be decided by local bodies.
The magnitude of the problem can be understood from the fact that according to the environment ministry, India generates about 62 million tonnes of waste each year. Out of this, only about 43 million tonnes is collected and, out of the collected waste, 12 million tonnes is treated while 31 million tonnes is dumped in landfill sites. As Javadekar has pointed out - India's generation of solid waste was expected to grow to about 165 million tonnes by 2030.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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