Garbage in your vacant plot? You’ll be fined

Owners of vacant plots in East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) areas will be fined if they fail to stop people from littering their property. Hamari Jamatia reports.

Owners of vacant plots in East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) areas will be fined if they fail to stop people from littering their property.

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The municipal commissioner has issued an order to officials concerned to identify private and government plots being used as garbage grounds and challan their owners.

The officials will take a photograph of the garbage before removing it and use it as evidence.

The cost involved in clearing the litter will be recovered from the defaulting owners. The civic bodycommissioner SS Yadav said the fine can go up to Rs.3,000.

“The ground staff are equipped with cameras. If they spot a vacant plot being used as a dumping ground, they will get the garbage removed and impose a fine on its owner as it is his responsibility to keep the property clean. We have already challaned a few people,” he said.

“Garbage and construction waste have to be dumped only at designated places. Action against the erring persons will ensure better sanitation.

"Challans will be issued to the defaulters immediately,” said an official. “If the land is owned by a government agency, the department concerned will have to pay the fine,” he said.

According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, littering invites a fine of Rs.500, while those dumping construction waste on roads will have to pay Rs.2,000-Rs.3,000 penalty.

Officials said it was observed that many allow garbage to be dumped on their plots for levelling them, while government agencies do not bother to check their status.