Hubballi: The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has rolled out a door-to-door waste collection initiative in all wards. The new system, implemented by the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Unit, aims to prevent garbage from piling up on roads, public spaces, and open sites in Hubballi and Dharwad.
The decision to introduce this waste collection system and impose fines follows growing concerns over the public’s negligence in maintaining the city’s cleanliness. Many residents and shop owners have been discarding waste in public areas, despite previous warnings from authorities.
BM Mallikarjun, Executive Engineer of the SWM Unit, noted that while initial efforts to warn the public about littering had been made, some individuals and businesses, particularly paan shops and roadside eateries, ignored these warnings. Consequently, the SWM Unit has now begun imposing fines on those caught littering. Mallikarjun emphasized that the Unit is committed to enforcing these penalties without exceptions.
As part of this enforcement, the SWM Unit has already fined several violators. For instance, residents and a hotelier in Wards 6 and 14 were traced and fined a total of ₹5,400 after waste was found dumped beside the road. Mallikarjun highlighted that the SWM Unit has a fleet of 236 vehicles dedicated to daily waste collection across Hubballi-Dharwad, handling between 450 to 500 tonnes of waste.
To further deter littering, the Corporation has installed 120 CCTV cameras in key residential areas and markets. These cameras will be monitored regularly, and any individual or business caught discarding waste in public places will face penalties. The fine for individual violators is set at ₹100, with higher fines for shop owners. Repeat offenders among shop owners may even face the cancellation of their trade licenses.
Mallikarjun urged citizens to cooperate by waiting for the Corporation’s waste collection vehicles instead of dumping garbage on the streets. He also assured that the SWM Unit would continue its stringent enforcement measures until the practice of littering is eradicated.
