Littering roads? Then pay up fine

Littering roads? Then pay up fine
BBMP Passes Resolution, To Enforce Rules
S Kushala | TNN

Bangalore: Don’t trash this. Litter cops will be out soon on roads to catch you littering, spitting and urinating in public places. If caught, you will have to pay a fine.
Though these violations attracting statutory punishment are listed in the KMC Act, they had not been enforced strictly till now. According to a resolution passed by BBMP administrator Dilip Rau on July 28 approving the enforcement of the rules, eight categories of violations listed under the Act will now be monitored and fined.
Under the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act 1976, Section 431, certain violations can be punished under Compound of Offence Rule — using potable water for non-domestic purposes, wasting drinking water, pet dog fouling, urinating in public places, littering, spitting and not dumping garbage in carts.
The Act has listed out fines in two formats — one is the fine that the violator pays on his own and the other levied by the court if the fine is contested. The fines vary from Rs 10 to Rs 100 as per the Schedule (paid on the spot) and Rs 100 to 1,000 as compounding (if it is contested).
“The resolution has been approved, and under the law, it does not require government sanction. It is a question of implementing it. Till now, the rules were not implemented as there was no system. Now, we are creating a system to fine the violators,’’ BBMP commissioner S Subramanya told The Times of India.
How will the rules be enforced? BBMP will use the services of Territorial Army and deploy 60 members as Litter Cops who will be equipped with digital cameras and spy on arterial roads. Those caught violating the law will be fined on the spot and issued an official receipt. If the erring citizens want to contest, they will be issued a notice under Section 431 of the Act, where the case will be handled by the court.
The BBMP will pay Rs 1.8 lakh to the 60-member Litter Cop team as monthly remuneration. The authorities will spend Rs 5.4 lakh on purchase of digital cameras. To kick off the project, the BBMP estimates a Rs 31 lakh-expenditure. It expects Rs 30 lakh from fines every year.
DUSTBINS WILL BE BACK
Bangalore: To discourage littering (one of the reasons being lack of dustbins), BBMP will re-introduce dustbins on arterial roads, but designed aesthetically. For every 100 metres, there will be three bins placed — one each for degradable waste, paper and heavy objects like stones and metals. These bins will be emptied twice a day. Bins will be designed as per international standards by roping in advertising agencies for designing. This apart, each bus stand will also have three bins and will be cleared twice a day. TNN