CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced that a fine of Rs 5,000 will be levied on individuals who litter or dump garbage at Marina and other city beaches, enforcing the Solid Waste Management (SWM) rules, 2016, which prohibit the disposal of waste, including plastic, food, and general garbage, in public spaces and coastal areas.
"Chennai Enviro Solutions, a private firm, has been engaged in cleaning activities on the beach sand area of Marina. Seven beach cleaning machines and 274 workers on a rotational basis have been deployed for the operation. An average of four metric tonnes of garbage are removed from these areas every day,” said a Chennai corporation statement.
"Additionally, 53 cleanliness workers are deployed daily to maintain Besant Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Palavakkam, Neelankarai, Akkarai, and Thiruvottriyur beaches," it added.
Despite the extensive efforts, the statement noted, a lack of cooperation from the public remains a hurdle in maintaining cleanliness. Garbage and food wastes lay scattered across the beach rather than in the bin provided. This not only serves as an eyesore but also damages the city's reputation.
"With the coming Pongal festival expected to draw large crowds to the city's coastlines, the GCC has urged all visitors as well as local residents to responsibly dispose of waste. Any individual found violating these rules or dumping garbage at Marina or other major beaches will be fined Rs 5,000 under relevant legal provisions. Public Address (PA) systems will be placed on all beaches to raise awareness among the people," said the GCC statement.
GCC commissioner J Kumaragurubaran said, "22 Estonian beach-combing machines have been deployed for beach maintenance by Chennai Enviro Solutions Private Limited. It's part of the tender scope in Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zones privatisation, and all beaches from Ennore to Uthandi will be covered in the activity."