Now pay a fine of Rs 5,000 for littering on railway property

The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday announced a fine of Rs 5,000 on individuals spotted littering or throwing waste on the platforms and tracks.

Anyone found littering on a railway track or platform or disposing waste on its property would now be shelling out Rs. 5,000 under the Polluter Pays Principle.

The Tribunal empowered the Railways to impose a fine of Rs. 5,000 on anyone found littering or engaging in any other act such as open defecation on tracks or platforms. The fine would also be imposed on those residing along the tracks and disposing of waste on railway tracks or property.

If the waste is found lying in front of any house adjoining the tracks, the fine would be recovered from the occupants of the property.

A slew of directions have been passed to the Railways and other authorities for maintaining cleanliness on railway tracks.

The Tribunal has reportedly directed the Railways and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to place dustbins after identifying exact locations for collection of garbage.

NGT also directed the Railways to collect, transport and treat the waste at the treatment plants instead of directly releasing the garbage into sewer system.

The Tribunal’s direction came on a petition filed by lawyers Saloni Singh and Arush Pathania seeking a blanket ban on use and sale of plastic products on railway platforms across the country besides a ban on open defecation by people around tracks.