BERHAMPUR: After covering municipalities and NACs in Ganjam, the district administration has decided to implement the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016 in rural areas.
In the first phase, the sanitation regulations would be enforced in 10 gram panchayats by March 31, 2020. The panchayats include Chamakhandi in Chhatrapur block, Malada in Ganjam, Nandika in Hinjili, Langaleswar, Pathara, Kanheipur, Keshpur, Srikrushnasaranpur, Kairasi and Bikrampur in Khallikote block, said Additional Project Director of DRDA Rabi Narayan Tripathy.
Modalities for implementing the SWM in these panchayats during the first phase were discussed and finalised at a meeting held at Chhatrapur recently. As per the decision, each panchayat would prepare an action plan for the management of solid wastes depending on local practice and situation. Besides, a household survey will be conducted to assess the garbage disposal practice and adopt sanitation measures for the area.
While Rs 10 per month would be collected from each rural household for garbage disposal, hotels, lodgings, banks, police stations, government and private offices, hospitals and educational institutions would be charged with Rs 500. Similarly, user fee ranging from
Rs 100 to Rs 500 will be collected from business establishments. Residential schools and colleges, kalyan mandaps, haat, bus stands, railway stations and meeting venues would be charged with Rs 2,000 per month.
Though SWM norms were initially meant for urban areas, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) later directed the states to implement it for rural areas. The State Government has also formulated a sanitation policy in which panchayats are the major stakeholders. Officials said a fine of Rs 100 to Rs 400 would be imposed on the shop keepers, Rs 1000 on hotels, lodgings, food stalls, chicken and mutton shop owners, Rs 400-Rs 1600 on small and medium industrial units, Rs 4000 on kalyan mandaps and Rs 20,000 on large industries for flouting the rules, including the use of plastic and polythene bags.
Fees and Fines Rs 10
per month user fee to be collected from each household Rs 500
for offices and business establishmentsRs 1000 fine on hotels and shops for flouting the rules
Each panchayat would prepare an action plan for management of solid wastes depending on local practice and situation