MADURAI: Tightening its grip on the illegal dumping of garbage into Vaigai River, the Madurai city corporation has imposed a total fine of Rs 40,000 against the violators in one month.
With the corporation's announcement to impose heavy fines on violators from the second week of March this year, the civic body has increased vigil along the south and north banks of the Vaigai river to prevent open dumping of waste. So far, a total of Rs 40,000 has been collected from violators in the last one month, and several others have been issued notices.
Further, the city corporation has warned that repeated violation will result in the seizure of vehicles and criminal action against the violators. It may be noted that the civic body has been taking a series of measures, including the installation of CCTVs, patrolling and others, to prevent the dumping of waste into the river.
Meanwhile, activists alleged that the city corporation has failed to prevent the menace, despite many people dumping tonnes of waste into the Vaigai regularly. Recently, a video of workers dumping rice mill waste into the river in the night near Vaigai south banks road in Ward 43 went viral on social media.
Speaking to TNIE, M Raja of Vaigai Makkal Iyakkam in Madurai said, "Though we have been lodging a series of complaints with the corporation flagging the illegal waste dumping in the river, the authorities did not take any action. The mill waste dumped into the river has piled up to a height of 4-5 feet."
When contacted, a senior official from the city health department stated that the corporation has imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on the mill owner, with regard to the mill waste dumped into the river near Ward 43. The violator was directed to remove the dumped waste within the next 24 hours. Besides, for the safe disposal of waste, the corporation has suggested a venue where the people can dump mill waste, from where it will be cleared off by the corporation on a regular basis, the official added.