Litterbugs on Surat roads to be fined

Citizens of Surat who are found encroaching or littering on roads will be fined from now onwards. Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to penalise citizens who damage civic roads.

On a pilot basis, central zone (walled city area) has been selected for kick-starting the project. After its implementation, the entire city will be covered under the project.

The civic body has entered into a contract with a Mumbai-based private agency, Central Investigative and Security Services (CISS) for keeping an eye on the civic roads in the central zone. Roads within 8 km radius of the zone will be under the strict vigil of CISS officials. The civic body officials will go on continuous rounds and penalise everyone found guilty for encroachment or littering on roads. Fines will range from Rs50-1,000.

"The project has been successful in Mumbai and so we decided to implement it in Surat. CISS got selected through tender process. As CISS is undertaking the same thing in Mumbai, we decided to go with them for the project," Hemant Desai, deputy municipal commissioner (health & hospitals) of SMC, said.

According to Desai, central zone was selected for the project as it has the highest number of complaints related to encroachment and littering. Old settlements and high population density has worsened the problem in this zone.

SMC will issue I-card to CISS officials to avoid any unwanted situations during their work. CISS will provide uniforms, stationery and other equipments. The civic body will provide receipt books to see to it that staff don't indulge in wrongful means.

Sources within SMC said that penalty collected will be distributed in ratio of 60:40. CISS will keep 60% collections as it will bear all expenses including staff salary.

"CISS people will be assisted by our staff. Civic staff will keep eye on agency people to prevent unnecessary harassment to people while collecting fines. Those feeling that they have been penalised unnecessarily can contact zonal staff," Desai added.

Sources said that SMC took the decision after its attempts to make roads free of encroachment and littering had not achieved the desired results. While in some cases, people manhandle civic staff; in other cases, they are involved in monetary gains. As a result, problems have not been solved. With the implementation of the new system, a reduction in menace is expected.

Municipal Commissioner MK Das has given his nod for the project and has asked zonal head of central zone to start working on it. Once the project is successful in central zone, it will be implemented in remaining areas of the diamond city.