BMC proposes Rs 1,200 fine for spitting in public

Mumbai, June 01: The Mumbai civic body has proposed to steeply increase the amount of fine for spitting in public to Rs 1,200 from the current Rs 200, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Iqbal Singh Chahal recently gave a nod to the proposal for increasing the existing fine amount, a release said.

The official said the proposal will have to be cleared by the BMC''s general body before it is to be approved by the state government as it involves amending the Greater Mumbai Cleanliness and Sanitation byelaws 2006.

The existing fine of Rs 200 for spitting in public remains unchanged for the last several years.

The officer said the Bombay High Court while hearing a petition, had questioned why the BMC slaps the fine of only Rs 200 for spitting at public places whereas the police fined the violators Rs 1,200.

He clarified the HC didn''t give any directive about increasing the fine amount to the BMC.

After receiving the administrative nod to the proposal to hike the fine amount, the solid waste management department will take action under the additional municipal commissioner.

In the past six months, the civic body collected a fine of Rs 28.67 lakh from the people found spitting at public places.

The highest amount of fine of Rs 4.70 lakh was collected from L ward that includes areas like Kurla and Sakinaka, the release said.