PANJIM: Be ready to pay a fine if found littering the capital city.
The Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP) is mulling over implementing the idea of imposing fines on vio. Each councillor is already in possession of a copy to put forth their suggestions to strengthen the rules, following which the CCP will seal it for enforcement.
Sources said the draft bye-laws reeled off different categories of littering and penalties. For littering the roads, the penalty is fixed at Rs 200, be it any individual,resident or commercial establishment caught for the offense. Interestingly,those failing to segregate the waste will also be slapped with a fine. The heavy penalty of Rs 10,000 comes for those who fail to segregate hazardous waste.
It has been learnt that CCP will also be authorized to impose notices to offenders for other violations under the bye-laws. It is now to see the outcome of the meeting on Thursday that will follow a comprehensive discussion comprising suggestions and objections.
One of the councillors told Herald that all the public and private places, dwellings and trade & commerce centres will come under the by-laws. “No person shall dump, deposit, spill or cause or permit waste to be dumped upon in any public place, private place, street or at any places whether publicly or privately owned…” reads an extract of the draft copy.
Moreover, any person caught dumping waste from a vehicle and even pedestrians fond littering the place will be liable for fine. ‘
Similarly, owners or the occupiers of premises generating poultry, fish or slaughter waste – for commercial activity – has been directed to store the waste in closed and hygiene condition before delivering it to the collection agents. The vendors, hawkers, kiosk and handcart operators also come in the same category. To avail the service, they will have to pay prescribed fees, the councilor disclosed.
The draft has also specified that vehicles carrying garbage to deposit at a designated waste management plant should mandatorily cover it to prevent from being blown off during movement.
Tightening the noose around contractors or project proponents involved in developmental work, the CCP has strictly directed cleaning the premise of waste, particularly hazardous materials, failing which they will taken to task. The commissioner is the authority to issue notices.
