Overview
- Suthra Punjab launched the pilot from Liberty Chowk, starting a September awareness month that began with warnings on Sept 1 before formal penalties take effect on October 1.
- The scheme targets about 200 commercial markets and main roads such as The Mall, Jail Road and Ferozepur Road and does not yet cover residential areas.
- Authorities have deployed 25 field teams within a roughly 75‑person enforcement complement and require all fines to be paid through digital or banking channels only.
- The law sets clear penalties: small littering fines from Rs1,000 to Rs10,000, cleanliness failures up to Rs50,000, burning fines from Rs100,000 to Rs500,000 with up to two years’ jail, and tyre burning punishments up to Rs500,000 and seven years’ jail.
- Operational credibility could limit the drive’s impact because of recent worker wage protests, an Anti‑Corruption Establishment probe into manipulated records, and a fatal Suthra Punjab vehicle incident that prompted the chief minister to demand stricter compliance; enforcement success will hinge on steady payments, contractor oversight and reliable waste collection.