545 penalised for open defecation by SDMC

New Delhi: Acting tough against the ‘Open Defecation’ order, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has prosecuted 545 people in its jurisdiction. The corporation has also launched a special drive 'Seeti Bajao' to check open defecation within its limits.

According to a senior SDMC official, “The corporation has taken strict action against those who litter in the open rather than putting the same in the dustbins and continue to defecate in the open resulting in a loss to the environment and erosion of the healthy components of air in and around us.’

“The SDMC staff has prosecuted 545 people for defecating in open under ‘Seeti Bajao’ campaign and collected Rs 27,250 as fine from them. About 5,882 persons were issued challans for spot littering and a fine of Rs 2,94,100 were realised,” he said.

Acting of the NGT direction against plastic carry bag an amount of Rs 2,70,000 has also been collected while seizing plastic carry bags in large quantity from the manufactures, stockists, distributors, retailers, vendors, public in general and waste generators. The SDMC has seized 571.20 kilograms of plastic material which were banned, as per the NGT’s direction.

“Issue of complete ban on the usage of plastic carry bags has become more vocal in view of the notification of the :Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, which replaced the plastic waste (Management and Hoarding) Rules, 2011. The new rules have brought in rural areas under its ambit, extended minimum thickness of public carry bags from 40 to 50 microns, made the producers and generators responsible for public plastic waste management system,” he added.

The SDMC stated that a complete ban on plastic carry bags has become imminent as any eco-friendly product, which is complete substitute of plastic in all usage, has not been found till date.

It is in the interest of ecological balance and environment to implement the plastic waste management rules 2016, in the absence of a suitable alternative, it added.