Kolkata: In a bid to put a stop to pollution from material waste, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to either put a stop to the construction/demolition work or levy hefty fines in case such waste is not handed over to the civic body for disposal.
The civic body has been grappling with the threat of water bodies being filled with construction materials. Time and again it has been reported how construction/demolition debris is dumped at random places, especially ponds.
Since the material recycling plant was set up in Pathuriaghata, Mayor Firhad Hakim made it clear that all construction/demolition debris needs to be handed over to KMC so it can be dumped there. Rules were put in place that developers need to hand over the material waste to the civic body in exchange for a certain amount of fee, depending upon the amount of waste generated. This is collected during the sanctioning of the building plan.
However, it has now reportedly come to light that the civic body is mulling a rule that once the foundation work of a building is completed, the bill against the payment for the disposal of such waste needs to be produced when the civic body engineers visit the site for inspection. On failing to produce it, work can be stopped or a hefty fine can be imposed.
What has often come to light is that the developers are reluctant to hand over such waste to the civic body and prefer to sell it to a third party in return for a good amount. Earlier, the Mayor had said that in such a case the person will be held liable if that waste pollutes the environment.
The person needs to give a declaration mentioning the destination of this waste. The KMC had earlier drawn up a rate chart for imposing hefty fines against generators of C&D waste violating the rules. For mixing construction debris with municipal solid waste, it is Rs 10,000. The fine for dumping it in public places is Rs 20,000. For dumping in water bodies and drains, it is imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with a fine which may extend to Rs 2 lakhs or both. An amount of Rs 10000 will be charged as a fine for not delivering such waste in a segregated manner, for improper transportation, and for carrying out C&D management operations without the necessary licence.