Surat's Beautification Efforts Hampered by Spitting, Municipal Corporation Cracks Down with Fines and Court Action
Teams to Visit Violators' Homes to Collect Fines
SURAT : Surat's ongoing beautification drive has hit a snag due to the rampant spitting of paan-mawa in public places. The Municipal Corporation, which has invested lakhs of rupees in beautifying the city, has launched a campaign to curb this unhygienic practice.
During the pre-Diwali campaign, the Municipal Corporation issued e-challans to a total of 155 individuals for spitting in public. However, only 40 of these individuals have paid their fines. The Municipal Corporation is now taking a stricter approach, warning that the fine of Rs 100 will be increased to Rs 250 if the e-challan is not paid within 5 days. Additionally, legal action may also be taken against offenders.
To effectively monitor and penalize violators, the Municipal Corporation is utilizing a network of 3250 CC cameras, including 2500 cameras of its own and 750 cameras of the city police. The team responsible for collecting fines is being expanded, and they will soon be visiting the homes of violators under the surveillance of these cameras.
The Municipal Corporation has also coordinated with the RTO to track down vehicle owners who are caught spitting in public. Based on the registration number of their vehicles, the enforcement team will reach their homes and collect the fines.
To further intensify the campaign, the Municipal Corporation is deploying 55 teams in all wards of the city. These teams will work in conjunction with the existing zone-level enforcement teams, which will be doubled in size to cover all 30 wards.
The Municipal Corporation's Health Department has stated that the team responsible for collecting fines will be increased in the coming days. Additionally, more news points will be identified where spitting is prevalent, and action will be intensified accordingly.
The Municipal Corporation's crackdown on spitting is a welcome step towards maintaining the cleanliness and beauty of Surat. The strict measures, including increased fines and court action, should serve as a deterrent to those who continue to disregard public health regulations.
