WB citizen to pay Rs 1 lakh fine for littering public places

Citizens living under all civic bodies in West Bengal may have to shell out a maximum fine of Rs 1 lakh for littering public places, as the state assembly has passed Bills to enhance the penalty for offenders in areas under all municipal corporations and municipalities.

The process of amending the laws in this regard was completed on Tuesday after two Bills were passed. For the people living in all the municipal corporation areas of the state except Kolkata and Howrah, the assembly passed the West Bengal Municipal Corporation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018. The Howrah Municipal Corporation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018, was also passed for the people of Howrah.

The penalty for people living in the city was raised first through an amendment to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (second amendment) Bill, 2018, which was passed in the Assembly on November 22.

The West Bengal Municipal (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018 was passed on Monday to raise the fine in areas under all municipality areas. The move came after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her displeasure after finding out the newly inaugurated skywalk for Dakshineswar temple was stained with betel juice.

The Bills proposed to impose a minimum fine of Rs 5,000 and a maximum penalty of Rs 1 lakh fine on litterbugs. The earlier law stipulated that the minimum penalty for dumping garbage was Rs 50 and the maximum fine was Rs 5,000. Banerjee had formed an 11-member committee earlier to check to spit and littering in public places.

Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim who will also take over as the new Mayor of Kolkata, said he would take up a major awareness drive to keep the city clean.