Latest news with #VirsenTambe
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Time of India
Garbage offenders up, Laxmi Nagar tops NMC's shame list
1 2 Nagpur: Days after Nagpur slipped to 27th rank among million-plus cities in Swachh Survekshan 2024 rankings announced on Thursday, fresh data from Nagpur Municipal Corporation's nuisance detection squad (NDS) has laid bare the city's entrenched problem of civic indiscipline and ineffective enforcement. From January 1 to June 30, 2025, the NDS team led by Virsen Tambe penalised 4,487 violators and collected Rs25.43 lakh in fines for garbage dumping in open, improper waste disposal by hotels and vendors, and other hygiene violations. Despite the decline in absolute numbers from previous years, the mid-year total already exceeds 40% of last year's annual count, suggesting another dismal year ahead for Nagpur's sanitation record. At the heart of this problem lies Laxmi Nagar, which has consistently emerged as the worst-performing zone in terms of civic discipline. In just six months this year, the zone recorded 1,141 cases and Rs5.43 lakh in penalties — far ahead of any other zone. Over the past three years, Laxmi Nagar logged 4,310 cases in 2022, 3,692 in 2023, and 2,675 in 2024, topping NMC's shame list. Other zones with significant offences this year include Mangalwari (917 cases, Rs4.67 lakh), Gandhibagh (491 cases, Rs3.02 lakh), and Hanuman Nagar (480 cases, Rs2.38 lakh). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read More Undo Meanwhile, Satranjipura zone, with only 70 violations and Rs8,800 in fines, appears to be the most compliant — or perhaps the least monitored. The offenders are a mix of citizens throwing household waste in open spaces, shopkeepers not segregating garbage, and vendors — particularly meat, chicken, and vegetable sellers — who litter streets near markets. Despite routine inspections, civic officials admit that many repeat violators treat the fines as a negligible cost of doing business. A year-wise comparison shows a steady decline in enforcement. NMC penalised 13,634 offenders in 2022 (Rs80.5 lakh), 14,011 in 2023 (Rs71.6 lakh), and 10,681 in 2024 (Rs54.4 lakh). The first half of 2025 alone has seen over Rs25 lakh in fines, raising questions about both citizen apathy and the administration's ability to drive behavioural change. A senior health officer remarked, "We're trying our best with the limited manpower. But unless there's public ownership of cleanliness, Nagpur cannot improve." The consistent non-compliance in key zones, especially those with higher income and education levels, points to a deeper failure of civic responsibility rather than mere ignorance. As monsoon aggravates hygiene risks and festivals approach, NMC faces a fresh challenge: enforcing discipline in a city where awareness drives have failed, and penalties are proving to be no deterrent.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Time of India
Plastic Ban Still a Sham in Nagpur: NMC Begins Enforcing 75-Micron Rule Three Years Late
Nagpur: Over three years after the Central government banned single-use plastics, its impact remains limited in Nagpur, where shopkeepers and vendors continue to use thin plastic bags with impunity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, after months of inaction, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has begun enforcing the rules. The Central government's amendments to the Plastic Waste Management Rules increased the thickness threshold for plastic bags from 50 microns to 75 microns in 2021 and then to 120 microns in 2022 to reduce environmental harm by promoting thicker, reusable plastics. The ban was also expanded to include single-use plastic commodities beyond carry bags. Yet, little has changed on the ground. However, inadequate enforcement has rendered these changes largely ineffective, with non-compliance widespread, making the restrictions more symbolic than impactful. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), the nodal agency responsible for ensuring a comprehensive ban on the manufacture and distribution of such plastics, has been notably absent from ground-level enforcement. Instead, the responsibility has fallen entirely on Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) solid waste management department and the Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS), which are operating with limited capacity. "We have started imposing fines on shopkeepers for using carry bags below 75 microns," confirmed Virsen Tambe, commandant of the NDS. Previously, the NMC targeted only plastic bags thinner than 50 microns, despite the updated norms taking effect in 2021 and 2022. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This delayed enforcement highlights a significant gap between legislation and implementation. Activists point out that the entire supply chain—from manufacturers to retailers—continues to flout the law, while authorities often turn a blind eye. Between November 2023 and May 2, 2025, the NDS conducted over 74,000 inspections, booked 845 violators, and seized more than 4,611 kg of banned plastic. Fines totaling ₹42.75 lakh were imposed. Despite these efforts, plastic carry bags remain prevalent in local markets. "Unless wholesale distributors and manufacturers are held accountable, targeting retailers is merely firefighting," an NMC official admitted. Enforcement data also revealed inconsistent efforts. While December 2023 and March 2024 saw heightened activity, inspections dropped significantly by May 2025, with only 37 shops inspected on May 1 and 38 on May 2. Citizens and environmental activists are now urging the MPCB to intervene urgently and demand stricter oversight by the police to curb the rampant use of banned plastic bags. Plastic Ban Action by NDS Team, NMC Nagpur (01 Nov 2023 to 02 May 2025) | Date | Total No of Shops Checked | Total No of Cases | Amount of Fines (Rs) | Total Single Use Ban Plastic Seized (gm) | |------------|----------------------------|-------------------|----------------------|------------------------------------------| | Nov-23 | 2,523 | 19 | 95,000 | 64.100 | | Dec-23 | 17,115 | 90 | 455,000 | 201.870 | | Jan-24 | 11,401 | 59 | 300,000 | 193.700 | | Feb-24 | 9,043 | 46 | 230,000 | 68.900 | | Mar-24 | 7,925 | 54 | 270,000 | 2290.900 | | Apr-24 | 6,258 | 43 | 215,000 | 57.000 | | May-24 | 5,878 | 56 | 280,000 | 262.000 | | Jun-24 | 4,819 | 42 | 210,000 | 47.400 | | Jul-24 | 2,836 | 43 | 215,000 | 202.310 | | Aug-24 | 47 | 47 | 230,000 | 46.700 | | Sep-24 | 391 | 37 | 185,000 | 53.100 | | Oct-24 | 982 | 68 | 340,000 | 666.700 | | Nov-24 | 693 | 38 | 195,000 | 190.500 | | Dec-24 | 829 | 43 | 215,000 | 56.700 | | Jan-25 | 836 | 44 | 220,000 | 53.000 | | Feb-25 | 829 | 36 | 180,000 | 52.000 | | Mar-25 | 896 | 31 | 200,000 | 47.600 | | Apr-25 | 853 | 45 | 220,500 | 52.700 | | 01-May-25 | 37 | 2 | 10,000 | 2.000 | | 02-May-25 | 38 | 2 | 10,000 | 2.000 | | Total | 74,433 | 845 | 4,275,500 | 4,611.180 |
