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Chandigarh's "Dhol Fine Drive" Fines Litterbugs and Returns Their Trash
18 Nov
Summary
- Chandigarh's new "Dhol Fine Drive" campaign fines litterbugs up to ₹13,401
- Garbage is collected and returned to offenders as part of awareness effort
- Videos of officials issuing fines and performing "boliyaan" go viral on social media
In a novel approach to curbing littering, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has rolled out the "Dhol Fine Drive" campaign. As of 2025-11-18T10:18:32+00:00, special teams have been patrolling the city's streets, markets, and public areas, issuing fines to anyone caught littering.
The first fine under this initiative was issued just last week in Manimajra, with each violator being fined ₹13,401. In some cases, the officials have also collected the garbage thrown by the offenders and returned it to them as part of the awareness effort.
A video of these special teams, accompanied by dhol players, visiting the homes of habitual litterbugs has gone viral on social media. The officials issue a challan, return the garbage to the offenders, and even take pictures with them. In certain instances, the artists perform traditional "boliyaan," such as "Littering? Smile please... you are on camera!"
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has stated that the "Dhol Fine Drive" was launched after repeated warnings failed to change people's littering habits. The initiative has received a positive response from the public in many areas. The corporation has also provided a dedicated WhatsApp number and a mobile app for residents to report littering anonymously, with those whose reports are verified receiving a ₹250 reward.
The Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Amit Kumar, IAS, has reiterated the city's zero-tolerance policy towards any act of littering or non-compliance with Solid Waste Management (SWM) regulations. All commercial establishments, institutions, and residents have been reminded to strictly adhere to the provisions, including waste segregation at source, use of designated collection systems, and maintaining cleanliness in and around their premises.
