Mumbai Civic Body Slaps Rs 10,000 Fine on Man Who Dumped Trash in Sea Near Gateway of India

After tracing him, officials of the Solid Waste Management Department slapped a Rs 10,000 penalty. The action was taken by A ward officials, it said.

Mumbai: The Mumbai civic body on Tuesday slapped a Rs 10,000 fine on a man for dumping trash in the sea near Gateway of India while the police registered a case against him and another person following an outrage caused by a video of the incident which has gone viral.

The video clip shows two men emptying gunny bags containing trash- mainly flowers- in the Arabian Sea near the iconic structure in south Mumbai.

Based on the video clip, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai police launched a search for the man. He was traced and identified after tracking the taxi in which he had reached the Gateway of India, according to a release issued by the civic body.

After tracing him, officials of the Solid Waste Management Department slapped a Rs 10,000 penalty. The action was taken by A ward officials, it said.

The garbage dumping video led to a huge outrage on social media with several distinguished individuals, public representatives, and others expressing anger and demanding action.

“It hurts just to see this. No amount of improvement in physical infrastructure can improve the city’s quality of life if the civic attitude isn’t transformed,” industrialist Anand Mahindra said on X while posting a video clip and tagging it to the Mumbai Police and the city civic chief.

A police official said a case was registered against two persons, including a 62-year-old former taxi driver, under section 3 (2) (d) of the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.

The former cabbie was detained. He was allowed to go after a notice was issued to him, the official added.