Tamil Nadu Panchayats Impose Fines, Water Cuts for Household Waste Segregation Violations

As of October 26th, 2025, the Tamil Nadu government has taken a firm stance on household waste segregation in rural and peri-urban areas. The state has empowered village panchayats to issue notices, temporarily disconnect water supply, or impose fines on households that do not continuously segregate their solid waste.

Households that fail to properly segregate waste into wet (green bin) and dry (blue bin) categories before handing it over will first receive a warning notice. If the non-compliance continues, the panchayat can take enforcement actions such as temporarily cutting off the household's water connection or levying a fine as a deterrent measure. These actions will be carried out by the Zonal Deputy Block Development Officers and village panchayat secretaries.

The new guidelines also outline the duties of "thooimai kavalars" (waste collectors) in primary collection, secondary collection, and disposal of solid waste. One thooimai kavalar is to be assigned for every 150 households, with each collector responsible for at least 75 households per day.

Additionally, the Tamil Nadu government has issued directives for maintaining drinking water supply and streetlights in rural areas. Periodic inspections and replacements of water taps and storage tanks are mandated to ensure the quality and reliability of the water infrastructure.