Pee in public at your own risk!

You may be aware that spitting or urinating in public places is a punishable offence as is dumping garbage. None takes it seriously but for 20 days beginning October1 when the bio-diversity conference kicks off, civic authorities will leave no stone unturned to make everyone follow the law. “It is an international conference and this sort of behaviour will tarnish the image of brand Hyderabad,” a senior official with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)’s sanitation wing pointed out.

The rules and regulations are in place and there are enough number of staff too to implement the same. “This stress on sanitation is not new. But we will have to implement the rules strictly as an international conference is going to take place in Hyderabad,” GHMC additional commissioner (health & sanitation) L Vandan Kumar said.

What does implementing sanitation rules mean for the citizens? If you are not aware, the fines for spitting, urinating or defecating and dumping garbage in public places range anywhere between Rs 5,00 and Rs 50,000. Taking bath in public places also falls in the same category. Besides, those taking their pets for a walk so that they could relieve themselves out in the open should also be careful. Owners of pets which urinate and defecate in public places will have to shell out fine as per the waste management bylaws under the GHMC Act- 1955 (amended in 2008), explained one official.

The GHMC has reportedly issued a circular to its employees in the sanitation wing to make sure the laws are implemented properly. “As many as 2,000 employees will be deployed to ensure that the sanitation laws are enforced not just on the routes leading to the venue of the bio-diversity conference but also across the twin cities,” said the official.

The civic body’s action comes in the wake of the recent stress on garbage disposal in the twin cities. All citizens will now have to segregate garbage at source and not dump waste in non-biodegradable bags at any given point of time. Violators would be fined and cases will be booked against them.

The GHMC has also been directed to set up a dumping yard in each ward and nominate an executive authority to effectively manage garbage disposal and appoint personnel to check it particularly in October.