Allowing garbage to pile up may soon become a costly affair for East Delhi land owners. The civic body has decided to impose penalty on owners - private or Government -- of vacant plots that have been turned into dumping grounds for garbage or construction waste.
The officials will photograph the garbage before lifting it and use the same as evidence. The cost involved will be recovered from the property owners.
East Corporation commissioner SS Yadav has ordered the deputy commissioners of Shahadra (north) and Shahadra (south) zones to act against all such property owners, apart from ensuring that all the garbage is lifted from the spot. A senior official said the ground staff will be provided with cameras and dedicated vehicles for the purpose. "Tough action will ensure better sanitation in the area. The challans will be issued to defaulters immediately," said the official. "If the land is owned by a Government agency, the department concerned will have to pay the fine," he added.
According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, littering invites a fine of Rs 500 while those dumping construction wastes on roads will have to pay a steeper fine of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000.
Officials said that it has been observed that several private land owners purposely allow garbage to be dumped on their land for levelling it, while Government agencies do not bother to check the status of their plots.
"Some people do it purposely and the corporation receives complaints from people in the neighbourhood. Garbage and construction wastes have to be dumped only at designated places," an official said.