Playback singer M.G. Sreekumar fined ₹25,000 for dumping trash in Kochi backwaters

Playback singer M.G. Sreekumar fined ₹25,000 for dumping trash in Kochi backwaters, paid fine after warning from officials.

Playback singer M.G. Sreekumar has been fined ₹25,000 on the charge of dumping trash into the Kochi backwaters.

The Mulavukad grama panchayat had issued him a notice directing the singer to pay the fine amount within 15 days. Mr. Sreekumar has remitted the fine amount.

“Our officials also visited his house and issued a warning. It has been learnt that non-biodegradable garbage was not being handed over to Haritha Karma Sena workers and that a maid threw the bag from the house that overlooks the backwaters,” Akbar V.S., president of the local body, told The Hindu.

A video showing a bag of garbage being thrown into the waterbody from the singers’ house located close to the KTDC-run Bolgatty Palace and Island Resort Hotel and the old ferry jetty was captured on mobile phone by a tourist who was on a boat cruise along the backwaters four months ago. The tourist, who hails from within Kerala, recently posted the video on social media, tagging Minister for Local Self-Government M.B. Rajesh.

Mr. Akbar said such incidents are a blot on the panchayat as it had been declared as a garbage-free area.

“We issued bio bins to residents who had opted for it, since the local body does not yet have a treatment plant for organic waste. Garbage being dumped into the backwaters from Container Road and also onto the roadside is another issue. Efforts are on to install CCTVs to prevent this,” he added.