Litterbugs beware, the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is waiting to make a fine example of you.
On Tuesday, the first day of its drive against people littering city streets, the civic body's special task force fined 15 people and collected Rs 6,200. The penalty varies from Rs 100 to Rs 500, depending on the gravity of the offence.
The localities the uniformed personnel of the task force patrolled on Tuesday include Daroga Rai Path, Beerchand Patel Marg, Income Tax roundabout and Adalatganj Road. The 15 people penalised were in the areas under the New Capital circle of the PMC. The drive will be expanded to the other circles from Wednesday.
Ram Naresh Pandit, a chaiwallah at Beerchand Patel Marg, had to shell out Rs 500 fine for throwing away the used tea leaves on the road.
"I am ashamed," Ram said. "I am not going to repeat this again. I am going to install a dustbin now."
Vishal Anand, executive officer of the New Capital circle of PMC, said the first day of the drive was focused mainly in areas where vendors sell their wares.
"Through today's drive, we tried to give the message to the residents that they should stop littering streets," Vishal said. "We collected Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 500 fine from individuals. We are going to target all the big business establishments as well as residential localities from where garbage is thrown on the roads. Our task force has already moved around in the city making people aware of the drive - that in case they throw garbage on the road, they would be fined. Now, we have finally started imposing fines."
He said residents can also complain about their neighbours who throw garbage regularly on the roads.
"In case if we find someone who is repeating the act again and again, we would also serve notice to such people but if they keep on repeating the act, we would be forced to lodge an FIR against them, for interrupting in government work," Vishal said. "The PMC works to keep the city clean and if anybody litters the city streets that would be considered as an interruption in the corporation's work and necessary action would be taken against the person.
"However," he added, "we don't want to be rude initially. So we would only fine people now."
The civic body will also impose fines on house owners if sand and stone chips are be found in front of their house.
Most residents The Telegraph spoke to lauded the civic drive and wanted more.
"I think the corporation should also fine people for spitting and urinating on the roads," said Boring Road resident Rajeev Sinha. "I can only hope that the drive is conducted regularly and doesn't end in a day or two like other drives of the PMC."
Purnima Choudhary, a Shastri Nagar resident, said: "The door-to-door garbage removal initiative has not been successfully implemented. The PMC should address this problem before imposing fines on those littering the streets."