E-Paper
No hiding in dark as Chandigarh MC ups ante against night litterers
Chandigarh's municipal corporation has launched a night-time drive against littering, increasing fines and using tech to track offenders, with significant results.
The Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) has intensified its enforcement actions against public littering by launching a dedicated night-time challaning drive. This move targets offenders who discard waste in public spaces under the cover of darkness, particularly in high-footfall areas and sectors bordering Mohali.
The initiative, which began in October and gained momentum this month, was prompted by observations that many residents were dumping garbage at undesignated spots at night, assuming enforcement was limited to daylight hours. To counter this, a sanitary inspector has been specifically deputed to patrol throughout the night. The strategy has yielded significant results: night challans rose from 88 in October to 147 in November—a 68% increase. In December alone, 170 night challans have already been issued to date.
“Chandigarh is an educated city, yet littering persists. As daytime enforcement increased, we noticed a shift toward night-time dumping,” an MC official stated, noting that the drive is pan-city but focused on identified “garbage vulnerable points.”
Stiff penalties & digital tracking
The MC is utilising multiple avenues for enforcement, including public complaints received via WhatsApp and the official “I’m Chandigarh” app. Fines for various offences—ranging from non-segregation of waste and the use of banned plastic to the illegal dumping of construction debris—vary between ₹2,000 and ₹13,401.
In a notable instance of tech-enabled enforcement, the MC recently tracked a group of repeat offenders in a Sector 16 park. Despite the presence of dustbins, the group frequently ordered via a food aggregator and left the packaging behind. After the offenders evaded teams twice, the MC coordinated with the food delivery app to trace the account holder associated with the location. Consequently, a fine of ₹13,401 was issued to the individuals involved.
This heightened enforcement follows a controversial attempt in November to implement “public shaming” for litterers. Those orders were placed on hold following widespread criticism and outcry from opposition councillors, who described the measure as autocratic. The MC has now reverted to a strictly legal and digital approach to maintain the city’s cleanliness standards.
