No-garbage zones to be set up across Shimla

Tribune News Service Shimla, August 21 To curb the practice of littering in open areas, the Shimla Municipal Corporation has decided to set up no-garbage zones across the town. Littering in these no-garbage zones will be strictly prohibited and anyone...

Navneet Rathore

Updated At : 07:03 AM Aug 22, 2024 IST

People near the Municipal Corporation building in Shimla. - File photo

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 21

To curb the practice of littering in open areas, the Shimla Municipal Corporation has decided to set up no-garbage zones across the town. Littering in these no-garbage zones will be strictly prohibited and anyone found guilty of doing so will be fined a sum of Rs 5,000.

The Municipal Corporation has started the process of identifying the no-garbage zones across the town. The work is being conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the civic body will install a metal display board having ‘No-garbage zone’ written on it. The board will also have contact numbers of officials of the Municipal Corporation. This will help the people who want to file a complaint against those littering in these areas as well as public places.

60 such zones identified
So far, 60 no-garbage zones have been identified by the Municipal Corporation where no-garbage zone boards have been installed. More hotspots that are vulnerable to littering are also being identified where these boards will be installed to prevent littering. — Dr Chetan Chauhan, Chief Health Officer, Municipal Corporation, Shimla

In the second phase, surveillance cameras (CCTV) will be installed in these no-garbage zones. With this, the Municipal Corporation will be able to identify the person who will continue to litter in these zones.

The Chief Health Officer, Municipal Corporation, Shimla, who is also holding the additional charge of the Joint Commissioner, Dr Chetan Chauhan, said the aim of the initiative was to make Shimla litter-free and promote cleanliness across the town. He said the Himachal Pradesh High Court had directed the Municipal Corporation to declare all vulnerable areas as no-garbage zones.

“So far, 60 no-garbage zones have been identified by the Municipal Corporation where no-garbage zone boards have been installed. More hotspots that are vulnerable to littering are also being identified where these boards will be installed to prevent littering,” he said.

He further said the work of the second phase under which CCTV cameras would be installed would start after the end of the monsoon season.

Meanwhile, Mayor Surender Chauhan while emphasising on maintaining cleanliness in the town said the initiative would give a boost to make Shimla garbage-free and maintain its scenic beauty. “This will not only discourage the people from littering in open areas but also create awareness among the people in maintaining cleanliness in public places and in their surrounding areas.

Work to be conducted in two phases

The work is being conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the civic body will install a metal display board having ‘No-garbage zone’ written on it. The board will also have contact numbers of officials of the Municipal Corporation. This will help the people who want to file a complaint against those littering in these areas and in public places.
In the second phase, surveillance cameras (CCTV) will be installed in these no-garbage zones. With this, the Municipal Corporation will be able to identify the person who litter in these zones.