14 November,2022 07:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer Surve
Pet dog parents, keep those poop scoopers ready!
Dog parents, get ready with poop scoopers. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is thinking of re-implementing an old rule of fining canine caretakers Rs 500 if they don't clean up their dog's poop from a public place.
Chanda Jadhav, deputy municipal commissioner who holds charge of solid waste management, said, "We are seriously thinking about implementing this rule as there are lots of complaints. We are working on an implementation plan. The final decision will be taken in a few days. Our Nuisance Detector Team will collect fines. We will start this programme in one ward first and then extend it to the city." The action will be taken in the morning and the evening every day, said another official.
According to the BMC's records, there are around 25,000 licensed pet dogs in the city. According to the BMC sanitation and health by-law 2006 if a pet poops in a public place, the owner or caretaker should clean the mess or the civic body can collect Rs 500 as fine.
The BMC had penalised pet owners for the same around the end of 2018. At the time, the BMC's main focus was D ward which comprises Malabar Hill, Girgaon Chowpatty and Marine Lines. This action was to be extended all over the city. However, it did not materialise.
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There were mixed reactions to this decision. A dog owner from Fort said, "Garbage is often not cleaned up in Colaba and Fort. Keeping dogs is not a hobby, but a necessity for the safety of those who live alone. Before implementing this rule, the BMC should ensure people get basic facilities."
Civic activist Godfrey Pimenta said, "Before implementing this rule, the BMC should introspect. There is a need to work on the improvement of road quality and another basic amenities which should be the city's priority."
RTI activist Anil Galgali said, "If this is a rule, BMC should implement it, but before that awareness should be created."
Santosh Gupta, an activist from Worli, said, "There is nothing wrong if BMC collects a fine for this. But it should clean the city up before this. There are lots of places used as dumping grounds."
