WB forms panel to check spitting, littering in public places

The West Bengal government is planning to put in place stricter measures to check unabated spitting and littering at public places, Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim said Tuesday.

On the advice of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the government formed a committee, which would modify the existing laws and look into options of imposing stricter penalities on offenders, the minister told reporters at the secretariat.

"We have seen people, knowingly or unknowingly, polluting public places by spitting here and there and throwing trash. We are spending lakhs to keep the city clean, paint the walls and its bridges. It's time we raise awareness of common people, too, to stop this nuisance," he said.

According to Hakim, the committee, headed by Chief Secretary Malay De, would also include Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya, Director General Virendra and Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar among others.

A senior official at the secretariat said the West Bengal Prevention of Spitting in Public Place Act, introduced in 2003, provides for a fine of Rs 200.

"The Act not only banned spitting in public places, its section 7 also provides for a fine. This law is applicable in the city as well as in the suburbs and other parts of the state. West Bengal is one of the few states in the country to have such an official law," he said.

The official also said that the West Bengal Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting and Protection of Health of Non-smokers and Minors Act, 2001, which came into force during the Left rule, has penalty clauses.

Spitting in public places, under the 2001 Act, could attract an initial fine of Rs 100, he said.

"The fine may go up five times for subsequent offences. But these measures are rarely implemented in our state," the official added.

The state government move comes days after pillars at newly inaugurated Dakshineswar skywalk in North 24 Parganas district was found stained with spit marks.

The district administration has imposed a fine of Rs 1,001 on those found spitting inside the skywalk.