New garbage rules require citizens to pay Rs 50/month

PUNE: The standing committee on Tuesday approved the solid waste management byelaws aimed at streamlining garbage disposal and improving sanitation. The byelaws mandate that citizens will have to pay Rs 600 per annum per household as service charge for lifting garbage. They will have to pay fines between Rs 200 to Rs 10,000 for flouting these norms. The new rules will come into force after it is approved by the general body and the state government.
The civic body prepared the draft rules after the city faced a garbage crisis when residents of Uruli Devachi and Phursungi protested against dumping in their villages in 2014.
New rules would be implemented in stages depending on the availability of the infrastructure and awareness created among citizens. Besides paying a compromise fee, the offender would also face penal action.
“Citizens now pay collection charges. The byelaws have made sure that the rate is fixed to streamline recovery. Each household will have to pay Rs 50 on a monthly basis,” Suresh Jagtap, head of the solid waste management department of PMC, told reporters.
Civic officials said the law has fixed the responsibility of various stakeholders to maintain health and hygiene. The citizens, commercial, medical and educational establishments are required to prevent waterlogging and dumping to ensure good hygienic conditions and keeping the environment clean.
For large infrastructural projects, involving construction of flyovers and bridges, the contractor or the concerned department will be required to submit a waste management plan to PMC with details of storage and transportation of waste.
During completion of utility works on roads, the contractor is required to store the waste without causing inconvenience to citizens.