MCD plans new, stricter anti-littering law soon

To deter people from littering the city, an anti-littering law will soon be in place. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has completed formalities and will be implementing the law within 20 days. HT reports.

To deter people from littering the city, an anti-littering law will soon be in place. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has completed formalities and will be implementing the law within 20 days.

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"We will be implementing the anti-littering law shortly," said Anshu Prakash, additional commissioner (engineering), MCD. Under the law, fines for offences like spitting, littering and urinating in public will be increased substantially.

The civic agency had recently sought public opinion on this issue, after the proposal was sent back to it by the Delhi government. A public notice was also issued for this purpose by the civic body.

Under the anti-littering law, spitting, defecating and bathing in public places would invite hefty penalties from municipal inspectors, who would challan people on the spot.

The fine would vary between Rs 200 and Rs 500. At present, MCD can only issue fines up to Rs 50 for the same offences.

About 1,000 inspectors would be deployed across the city to fine Delhiites.

MCD says the move is in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court, which had, in 2006, stated that a strict law should be formulated for those who litter the city.

Besides, all the pet owners who let their pets out into the streets to litter would be charged R500 by the civic body.

"Though the provision in the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act is only for Rs 500, we would also be amending the law, so that hospitals that are unable to treat the bio-degradable waste in a segregated manner would be charged a heftier penalty," added the official.

The civic body is also planning to charge a higher amount of penalty - Rs 20,000 - from those who leave demolition and construction waste lying on the streets.