MAPUSA
The State government has made segregation of waste at source mandatory in panchayat areas and specified spot fines and penalties ranging between Rs 200 to Rs 50,000 for residential, commercial establishments and various other categories.
The government has also specified user charges for door-to-door collection from individual households, restaurants, hospitals, exhibitions, etc as per the Goa Model Panchayat Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Bye-Laws, 2022 notified on Thursday.
For non-segregation of the waste at source and for not providing and maintaining separate receptacles/bins for each category of waste, residential units, colonies and housing societies will have to cough up Rs 200 as fine while commercial establishments including hotels, restaurants, offices etc will have to pay Rs 500, Rs 750 and Rs 1,000 as fine for first, second and subsequent contraventions.
Similarly, for not maintaining clean surroundings, residential units, colonies and housing societies and commercial establishments including hotels, restaurants, offices etc will have to pay a fine of Rs 500, 750 and 1000 as fine for first, second and subsequent contraventions.
For organizing a public gathering or event without an event permit entails a whopping fine of Rs 10,000, 30,000 and 50,000 for first, second and subsequent contraventions.
The new rules also stipulates fines for littering on roads/streets with residential units, colonies and housing societies having to pay Rs 250 while commercial establishments including hotels, restaurants, offices etc have to dish out Rs 500, 1000 and 2000 for first, second and subsequent contraventions.
If any residential units, colonies and housing societies are found to be disposing waste by burning then they will be fined Rs 1000 while commercial establishments will have to pay a fine of Rs 1,000, 2,000 and Rs 5,000 for first, second and subsequent contraventions.
The government had issued the draft notification on December 22, 2022 inviting suggestions and objections from the public and since no objections and suggestions were received the same has been notified as bye-laws.
The notification also specifies user charges per month for door to door collection from individual households, restaurants, hospitals, exhibitions etc.
The user charges to be collected by the Panchayat for providing service of door-to-door collection of solid waste under these bye-laws for individual households is Rs 75 per household in Class A and B village panchayats, Rs 60 per household in Class C village panchayats and Rs 45 per household in Class D panchayats.
For schools/colleges and religious places the user charges will be Rs 200 in Class A and B village panchayats, Rs 150 in Class C panchayats and Rs 100 in Class D panchayats.
Hotels and restaurants will be charged depending on the business activity and notified by the local authority by a special order.
