Once infamous for pan masala spitting and ‘gutka’ chewing, Uttar Pradesh’s traditional image is all set to change, courtesy a unique campaign by the urban development department.
Labelled Mr and Ms Piku, the state-wide campaign to be kicked off from Monday envisages levying a fine of Rs 250 on those caught in the act. The same would also be applicable for those found littering in public places.
“We want to tell you that efforts are being made continuously to ensure our cities go from good to great. Hence, we have launched a no spitting or littering campaign in order to maintain cleanliness in the cities,” read the letter from Neha Sharma, (Urban) state mission director, Swaccha Bharat Mission (SBM), to the municipal commissioners across the state.
Officials with the urban development department said other than spitting, the campaign will also check people urinating at public places, open defecation, throwing food at public places in order to feed animals and littering.
Initially, the campaign was launched in Lucknow and Agra — the two prime cities of UP that recently witnessed meetings under India’s G20 Presidency — as a pilot project. “In the almost 10-day-long campaign that was launched on February 23, we recovered more than Rs 1.29 lakh from violators,” said Inderjit Singh, Municipal Commissioner, Lucknow.
While Agra Municipal Corporation is yet to tabulate the total fine from the violators, the amount is expected to be hefty.
Following the overwhelming response of the campaign in the two cities, it has been decided to extend it across the state. The letter added that for municipal corporations with less than 6 lakh population, Rs 150 would be the fine amount whereas for areas falling under nagar palika and nagar panchayat, Rs 100 and Rs 50 would be realised as fine.
This is not the first time a ban has been imposed on spitting in public. In 2020, the Union Home Ministry made spitting in public a punishable offence under revised Covid-19 guidelines. The UP government too had issued several such guidelines but they failed to impact people. Now, whether the new campaign can bring about a change in the state is the million dollar question.
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