Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has introduced a stringent system to tackle littering and illegal waste disposal across the city. Under the new regulations, citizens caught littering roads, dumping construction and demolition (C&D) waste, or discarding garbage improperly will now receive instant e-challans, with penalties to be paid digitally via UPI payments.
To enforce these measures, the GHMC is launching a dedicated mobile app, developed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which is expected to go live within a week. This system extends beyond general littering to penalize improper disposal of all waste types, including C&D debris.
Previously, fines were issued manually through challan books by field-level officers, leading to arbitrary penalties and discrepancies. A portion of the collected fines often did not reach the GHMC treasury, and there was no mechanism to track how many challans were actually paid.
To address these issues, officers such as Assistant Medical Officers of Health (AMOHs), Deputy Executive Engineers (DEEs), and Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) will now issue e-challans through the app, mirroring the traffic police’s automated system for vehicle violations.
Automated Penalty Generation
GHMC Additional Commissioner (Sanitation), CN Raghu Prasad, stated that the app would automate penalty generation, removing human discretion. After a two-to-three-day training program for staff, the app is expected to be operational within a week.
Prasad emphasized that all fines must be paid via UPI, ensuring direct deposit into GHMC’s treasury and real-time tracking of compliance. The penalties will range from ₹100 to ₹10,000 based on the severity of the offense. For dumping debris, in addition to levying penalties, vehicles used for the purpose will also be seized.
GHMC officials warned that the new app will enable strict enforcement of regulations, targeting offenses such as littering public places, dumping waste into nalas, throwing debris in open and water bodies, commercial establishments not having twin bins, public urination, and throwing garbage on roads and public places.
The new system marks a significant step toward better sanitation and accountability in Hyderabad. Residents are urged to comply with waste disposal regulations to avoid hefty fines and contribute to a cleaner city.
