Chennai: Shops without garbage bins most common civic offence; Rs 37.59 lakh collected

CHENNAI: Greater Chennai Corporation fined 3,759 shops for not having garbage bins, collecting 37.59 lakh in penalties more than two months after introducing point-of-sale devices. As per GCC's penalty data, this was the most common offence.
Introduced in Oct, these devices enable spot fines for 40 civic offences including violations related to solid waste management, free-ranging cattle, and dog menace. Among the most frequent violations, shops using banned single-use plastic ranked second, leading to substantial penalties. Over the past two months, the civic body has penalised more than 1,906 violators.

"Point-of-sale devices have been increased from 500 to 1,000, and we have collected 2.24 crore in fines over the last two months," said GCC commissioner J Kumaragurubaran. "Many small shops and encroachments still use banned plastic cutlery, especially in commercial hubs and near beaches," said a corporation official.
Solid waste management activists highlight several gaps in awareness. "Many shops do not segregate waste properly. Conservancy workers collect garbage during evening shifts, but shopkeepers often dump it in roadside bins," said Geetha Ganesh, an activist from Velachery.
Kodambakkam zone recorded the highest violations, followed by Ambattur and Anna Nagar zones. "Kodambakkam and Anna Nagar, as core city zones, have dense populations and numerous commercial establishments, leading to more violations. Ambattur, a large zone with many industries, also contributes significantly," the official added.