Mohali, July 18: Acting on orders issued to ensure public hygiene during the monsoon, the Mohali administration has launched a crackdown on garbage dumping in vacant plots across the district. As part of the first phase of the drive, 367 notices have been issued out of 689 identified violations, officials said on Thursday.
Deputy commissioner Komal Mittal said the campaign follows a prohibitory order issued on June 26, instructing all plot owners to clear waste from their vacant lands and construct boundary walls or fencing to prevent illegal dumping, which poses a heightened risk of disease outbreaks during the rainy season.
In towns such as Derabassi, Zirakpur, Kharar, Banur, Lalru, Kurali, Gharuan, and Nayagaon, local bodies have issued notices and imposed fines. A Derabassi violator has been penalised ₹37,000 as a combined fine and cleaning cost, while 81 other challans have fetched ₹49,000 in total fines.
Commending civic officials, the DC urged GMADA and Mohali Municipal Corporation to take equally strict action to eliminate foul odour and reduce public health risks.
The notices have been issued under various legal provisions including Sections 292 and 293 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1976, Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
Plot owners have been asked to clean their premises and build boundary walls immediately. If they fail to comply, government agencies will clean the plots and recover costs from the owners. Non-payment will lead to red entries in land records and further legal and police action, officials warned.
“This is a public health initiative aimed at preventing vector-borne diseases during the rainy season,” said DC Komal Mittal. “We are committed to maintaining a clean and healthy environment for all residents of Mohali district.”
