Kolkata has been giving stiff competition to the national capital for the coveted spot of the country’s most-polluted city. A few days ago, the ‘City of Joy’ tried to steal Delhi’s thunder by getting its air quality levels to decline even further. It seems residents of Kolkata are just as adamant when it comes to changing their ways. This has forced the authorities to introduce a law which has increased the penalty for littering.
Image used for representational purpose. Courtesy: The Indian Express
Apparently, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was displeased with the condition of the recently-inaugurated Dakshineshwar skywalk, which was smeared with paan stains. Now, the previous fine that was fixed between minimum Rs 50 to the maximum Rs 5,000, has now been hiked to Rs 500 and Rs 1 lakh, PTI reported.
Banerjee has also made sure that this rule is implemented by forming an 11-member committee, which will keep a check on people spitting and littering. The authorities are also planning to impose a fine of Rs 1,001 if anyone is caught polluting the skywalk.
Image used for representational purpose. Courtesy: The Indian Express
The government hopes that the increase in penalty would act as a deterrent for violators. “It is often seen that household trash is thrown on the road or public spaces and left to be cleared by KMC sweepers. This not only makes roads dirty but poses a health threat. Even during any social event or function, there is a tendency to dump all the trash in a public place. There has to be some accountability,” a senior KMC official told The Times of India.
Environmentalists claim that Kolkata, with around a fourth of Delhi’s vehicle count, is still as polluted because there is a level of complacency that permeates across boards about resolving the problem. The Times of India reported that a comparison between pollution levels of two areas shows that Kolkata’s air quality index has been consistently worse than Delhi’s. Apparently, the lack of cleaner fuel in Kolkata has also contributed to the deteriorating air quality.
