Centre plans fine on people littering in public

Mangaluru: The Central government is planning to make impose penalty on those who litter in public places, said Union minister for urban development, housing and urban poverty alleviation and parliamentary affairs M Venkaiah Naidu at the 40th Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan of Sri Ramakrishna Mission in Mangaluru on Sunday. "Many people have told me that the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should not be limited to campaigns and there must be strict rules like imposing fines to make the drive more effective. During my visits to Singapore, I have observed how people maintain cleanliness fearing hefty fines imposed on violators. The authorities there levy heavy penalty on the people who throw waste outside or spit in public places. Such rules are required in India," he said. The government is planning to adopt a three-fold strategy for a Swachh Bharat, he said. "The first phase is creating awareness among the public about the importance of cleanliness. In the next phase the government will take initiatives to build public toilets, community toilets, parking space and other necessary infrastructure. In the third stage, the government will consider framing rules to levy penalties on those who litter in public places," the minister said. He said that it is necessary to make littering an offence in order to keep Indian towns and cities clean. "Penalization is the last resort, which will be adopted only after creating awareness among the people. It is the mindset of the people that is the most important aspect when it comes to cleanliness. People should change their mindset. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a dream of a Swachh Bharat, which is possible only with the active participation of the citizens. The public think that cleanliness is the sole responsibility of the government. It is wrong. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan will be successful only with the participation of Indians," he added. -TOI