Jalpaiguri, June 9 -- West Bengal's new BJP government has decided to introduce a penalty-based enforcement system from September 1 to curb civic offences and improve urban cleanliness, Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul announced here on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after a review meeting, Paul said a statewide awareness campaign will be launched through bulk SMS alerts sent to residents, informing them about the penalties for civic offences such as spitting on roads, littering, and defacing public spaces. Municipal authorities will use mobile phone databases to disseminate the messages.
Under the new mechanism, people found spitting on roads, littering public places, or indiscriminately dumping plastic was...