MCC launches drive to nab nocturnal waste dumpers

Mysuru: The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has launched a night drive to nab people and fast food joint operators involved in dumping garbage and other solid waste in public places.
The city is generating 550 tonnes of solid waste from its 65 wards of which 30 tonnes are plastic waste. The city civic body started this operation on June 29 following complaints that commercial establishments like hotels, fast food joints and street food vendors leave behind chunks of garbage in big plastic covers during night hours.
The lack of surveillance cameras and proper law enforcement seems to have aided violators in using the corners of commercial streets and drains for dumping waste.Garbage heaps with domestic waste from nearby households, food waste dumped by street vendors, banana leaves used to serve food at these stalls and plastic bottles are visible at various spots along commercial, street food vendors’ stretches, vacant sites and roadsides. As this posed a big challenge, the MCC has launched the operation to crack down on the individuals and street vendors involved in dumping waste illegally at night.
The MCC has deployed 130 civic workers along with health and environment department staff for night raids. The staff will not only collect penalty after identifying the offenders but will also make both vendors and the public aware of cleanliness. Though the MCC was collecting the households’ waste door to door and in commercial areas by deploying 330 auto tippers fitted with GPS, people littering waste during night hours increased.
The MCC has deputed one team headed by a supervisor, including a pourakarmika to each ward. The teams take up the drive in dedicated vehicles during nighttime. The team alerts the health inspector if they catch individuals dumping waste illegally to impose a fine on the offenders.
They are collecting penalties ranging from Rs 200 to several thousand rupees from the offenders. They have also collected fines of up to Rs 5,000 from violators found dumping large quantities of waste, transported by autos and other vehicles. The MCC civic workers are also clearing waste during night hours.
As per the guidelines, bulk waste generators such as fast food joints, roadside vendors and hoteliers are required to hand over their waste to MCC’s garbage collection vehicles every morning, but most of them have adopted unhealthy practices of disposing of waste wherever and whenever convenient.
MCC health officer Dr Venkatesh said the civic body has launched this crackdown with the main objective to deter such practices as such activities are not only affecting the city’s beauty but also posing health risks.
Speaking to TOI, MCC commissioner Ashad Ur Rehaman Sharif said the drive has been launched as the people were found dumping waste on the roadside, vacant sites and other places during the night by flouting norms. He said he too participated in such raids to deter such practices and to sensitise them to maintain cleanliness.
The collected waste is currently diverted to zero waste units in Kesare and Rayanakere on the outskirts, as dumping at the Sewage Farm in Vidyaranyapuram has been temporarily halted, he said.