BHOPAL: Taking the dog out for a walk for it to do its ‘job’ will soon come with the responsibility of cleaning up after the pet in Indore. The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has decided to impose spot fines ranging between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000 on people who allow their pets to litter in the open or in public areas and in front of homes of other people.
Not just dogs, the policy is to be extended to pet cats and even cows that are allowed to roam the streets by their owners. While the nitty-gritty of the new policy are being worked out, one thing has been made clear. A pet owner will from now on have to pick up after the animal and dispose the litter in a hygienic manner.
According to Dr Uttam Yadav, the IMC health officer, last year the civic body installed 2,500 litter boxes for people owning pets to pick up after their pets and dispose off the waste. This year, another 2,500 littler boxes are to be installed across the city. The new move is to consolidate Indore’s status as India’s cleanest city, an honour it earned this May.
The decision to impose the fines was taken at a meeting of the Mayor-in-Council meeting of the corporation on Tuesday chaired by mayor Malini Gaur who is also the BJP MLA from Indore IV constituency.
Pick up after ’em
The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) also urged people to take pictures of pets littering in the open and send them to the IMC or call in on the civic body’s helpline number to lodge a complaint as it gears up to roll out the new measure.