West Bengal has begun imposing fines for spitting, littering and other public nuisances as the state government intensifies its cleanliness drive across cities. People caught spitting in public will face a ₹100 penalty, while dumping garbage or spreading filth in public places will attract a ₹200 fine. Public urination or defecation will also invite a ₹200 penalty, as will the use of single-use plastic carry bags thinner than 125 microns. Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Pal said the initiative is aimed at changing public behaviour rather than generating revenue.

The enforcement comes despite legal provisions against littering and public spitting already existing in the state. Pal said the penalties had been deliberately kept relatively low because the government's objective was to create awareness and encourage cleaner public spaces. She said authorities wanted Kolkata and other cities across West Bengal to become cleaner and more attractive, while stressing that fines alone could not bring about lasting change. According to her, residents need to develop a sense of responsibility and regard public spaces as belonging to them as much as their homes do.

The government is also working to strengthen civic infrastructure alongside the enforcement campaign. Pal acknowledged that authorities were not yet fully prepared for stricter implementation, with dustbins being installed at different locations, particularly in markets and around railway stations. Steps are also being taken to increase the availability of public toilets. The minister said the process of improving facilities would continue alongside the collection of fines, arguing that residents should have access to appropriate disposal and sanitation facilities if they are expected to comply with cleanliness rules.

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The state is also seeking alternatives to banned plastic products as part of the initiative. Authorities are encouraging manufacturers to shift towards permitted alternatives, while vending machines are being arranged in market areas to provide substitutes for plastic carry bags. According to Pal, some machines will dispense corn-based bags for ₹1, while others will offer cloth bags priced between ₹5 and ₹10. The government is also planning waste segregation at the household level, with residents encouraged to keep different types of waste in separate bags and hand them over to sanitation workers rather than relying on dustbins within residential areas.

The latest enforcement drive also brings attention to penalties that have existed in West Bengal for several years. Under the amended municipal law introduced in 2019, public spitting could attract a fine of up to ₹1,000. In Kolkata, illegal dumping of waste has carried penalties ranging from ₹50 to ₹5,000. However, implementation of such provisions has historically been a challenge. The government has not clarified whether the existing laws will be amended in light of the latest enforcement measures, leaving the focus for now on putting the cleanliness rules into practice across urban areas.

With the new penalties being enforced, authorities are seeking greater public participation in keeping streets and other shared spaces clean. Pal appealed to commuters to think before throwing packets from vehicle windows or spitting from buses, saying awareness cannot be created through occasional campaigns alone. The government expects a visible improvement in public behaviour over the coming year while continuing work on sanitation facilities, waste management and alternatives to plastic. The success of the initiative will ultimately depend on both consistent enforcement and residents' willingness to follow the cleanliness rules.

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