Bengal Launches App To Ensure Green And Clean Durga Puja

In order to promote environment-friendly way of celebrating the festive season, the West Bengal Pollution Control Board has launched an app, Poribesh, to generate awareness on green norms among the Durga Puja organisers. The app can be downloaded from Google Play Store, through which citizens can also lodge complaints against violation of norms.
 
The pollution board has prohibited use of synthetic paint or colour containing toxic metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead, for idols. There are also restrictions on use of loudspeakers between 10 pm and 6 am, with a complete ban on DJs during idol immersion. All puja committees have been asked to attach noise limiters to speakers.
 
The board has also warned against littering of single-use plastic bags and thermocol plates while asking the public to raise awareness on the hazards of pollution. Taking about illegal firework units, which become active during the festive season, the board said raids would be carried out in association with the police and government officials, to keep a check on unlawful activities.

Litterbugs In Kolkata To Foot The Cleaning-Up Bill

December 12, 2018: The municipal body in Kolkata is planning to make the litterbugs pay now as the new mayor of the body has decided to act tough against those engaged in mindless throwing of garbage.

If a street is found dirtied even after the daily cleaning up by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) staff, the municipal body will make the owners or the occupant of the premises pay for the additional work it will have to engage in. Litterbugs would thus have to foot the bill for making the city dirty. It would not only be the citizens who will bear the consequence of mindless spreading of garbage; the fine will also be levied on government bodies.

There is no fixed penalty for the offence so far since the KMC will have to approach the municipal court to fix a rate. Also, two witnesses will be required to testify the offence against a litterbug for the KMC to slap penalty.

“We may have to get tough with people who have been regularly littering Kolkata's streets. A penalty of such people will be levied depending on the gravity of the offence," Mayor Firhad Hakim told media.

According to the Swachh Survekshan 2018, 19 of the top 25 most polluted cities are in West Bengal.

(WIth inputs from Housing.com News)