Now, pay hefty penalty for making a mess in Thane

The Thane Municipal Corporation has been taking up various measures to improve the cleanliness in the city. As part of it, the TMC has revised the penalty for littering, spitting, open defecation, urination and defiling in public places by pets

Thane: The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has been taking up various measures to improve the cleanliness in the city. As part of it, the TMC has revised the penalty for littering, spitting, open defecation, urination and defiling in public places by pets.

Thane, India - December 18, 2022: In spite of fine imposed and warning notice board put up TMC, citizens throw caution to the wind by dumping garbage next to the board ignoring the Swachh Survekshan 2022 campaign, at Patalipada, on Ghodbunder Road, in Thane, Mumbai, India, on Sunday, December 18, 2022. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

TMC chief Abhijit Bangar said, “While the municipality is trying to fulfil its responsibility, if citizens do not contribute to it then it becomes difficult to keep the city clean.”

“Citizens of Thane are very much conscious about cleanliness, but some citizens are still not seen to follow their responsibility towards cleanliness. To keep the city clean, it becomes necessary to take the unpleasant decision of penalising such persons,” Bangar added.

Bangar stated that the TMC administration has decided to revise the amount of fine as the cleanliness drive is being undertaken in a more intense manner in the city.

“The entire municipality is being regularly cleaned and this campaign will continue in a comprehensive manner. In this, the work is being done to free the city from pollution and keep it clean by using scientific method, garbage collection vehicles and disposal. If it will not be followed by individuals/organisations. There is provision for penal action against them under the Solid Waste Management and Handling Rules 2016. But, as the amount of the fine is less, the citizens are not taking it seriously even after imposing the fine,” Bangar added.

As per the revised fines, littering/throwing waste on roads/roads will attract a penalty of ₹500 instead of ₹180. Revised fine for spitting in public will be ₹500 instead of ₹150, earlier. Current fine for open urination is ₹200, which has been increased to ₹1,000. Fine for open defecation has been increased from the existing ₹500 to ₹1,000 and defecation in public by pets has been enhanced from the existing fine of ₹180 to ₹1,000.

“The positive work that has been done till date in Thane city in cleanliness could be done only because of the participation of the city dwellers. However, it is necessary to take punitive action against those who try to defeat this purpose through their actions, so this decision has been taken and cooperation is expected from the citizens,” Bangar added.

“There are several spots across Thane where the garbage is dumped on the roads by the locals. Until the garbage is collected from these roads, it makes the roads stinky and unclean. The fine amount increased by the civic body is a better way to ensure people follow the norms and not just wait for the civic body to clean their premises,” Niranj Naik, 40, a resident of Manpada, Thane, said.