What penalties can Tamil Nadu's village panchayats impose on households for not segregating waste?

Households in Tamil Nadu that do not properly segregate their solid waste can face penalties such as temporary water disconnection or fines imposed by the village panchayats.

How are waste collectors (thooimai kavalars) required to operate in Tamil Nadu's rural areas?

The guidelines mandate that one thooimai kavalar be assigned for every 150 households, with each collector responsible for collecting waste from at least 75 households per day.

What other infrastructure improvements are being made in Tamil Nadu's rural areas?

The state government has also issued directives for maintaining drinking water supply and streetlights, including regular inspections and replacements of water taps and storage tanks.

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

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

26 Oct

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Summary

Tamil Nadu government empowers village panchayats to issue notices, disconnect water, or impose fines
Households that fail to properly segregate waste face penalties
New guidelines for solid waste management in rural and peri-urban areas

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.