Magistrates to fine litterbugs on-spot

A bunch of municipal magistrates along with a mobile court will keep an eye on littering and garbage on the streets of Delhi during the Swachch Bharat Mission that starts on October 2.

A bunch of municipal magistrates along with a mobile court will keep an eye on littering and garbage on the streets of Delhi during the Swachch Bharat Mission that starts on October 2.

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Twelve such magistrates have been deployed to fine violators. On-spot challans too will also be issued by more than 1,000 sanitation inspectors and assistant sanitation inspectors who will patrol and inspect various areas.

Corporation officials claimed that the idea was to create awareness among the residents. “Our objective is to send a strong message across. We want people to help us in cleaning the city. Fines often acts as deterrence, so people caught defacing in public place will be penalized,” said a senior officer.

As per the existing law, the civic agencies issue a fine of Rs. 500 for such offences.

But once the new law is implemented, people will have to pay higher penalties.

During the cleanliness drive, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has already issued nearly 4,000 challans this month against offences like dumping garbage and debris at vacant land and collected over Rs. 31.50 lakh in fine.