Jalandhar Cantonment Board’s Solid Waste Management By-laws, 2024, prescribe penalties of up to ₹5,000 for specified waste-management violations, including open burning of solid waste. The rules also provide for monthly user charges across residential, commercial and institutional categories.
The by-laws were notified by the Ministry of Defence on November 19, 2024, under Section 348 of the Cantonments Act, 2006, read with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The official Gazette records that the draft was published for public objections and suggestions in July 2024 and that no objections or suggestions were received within the stipulated period. The Board’s resolution approving the draft was recorded on September 2, 2024.
Penalties for littering, burning and waste segregation
According to the by-laws’ penalty schedule, open burning of solid waste can attract a fine of ₹5,000, while littering carries a penalty of ₹500. Residential premises that fail to segregate or store waste as prescribed may face a ₹200 penalty.
The schedule also specifies penalties for non-residential establishments and other categories, with some violations attracting ₹500 or ₹5,000, depending on the type of premises and offence. Certain failures by Resident Welfare Associations, Market Associations, gated communities and institutions are also covered.
These amounts are the penalties specified in the notified schedule; the Gazette alone does not establish how frequently fines are currently being imposed on the ground.
Monthly waste-management user charges
The by-laws’ First Schedule sets monthly user fees according to the category and size of premises. Residential units measuring up to 50 square metres are listed at ₹50 per month, those measuring over 50 and up to 200 square metres at ₹100, and units above 200 square metres at ₹200.
The schedule lists ₹100 per month for street vendors and ₹500 for shops and eating places. Fees for other establishments vary: restaurants with seating for up to 50 people are listed at ₹2,000 per month, while those with seating above 50 are listed at ₹3,000. Commercial and government offices, educational institutions and certain other establishments are also listed at ₹2,000 per month, while some larger or specialised premises carry higher charges.
The rules provide for a 10% per annum surcharge in cases where the user fee is not paid within 30 days of demand. The notified schedule also provides for collection and recovery of user charges under the relevant provisions of the Cantonments Act.
Civil member raises questions over fee resolution
In a letter dated October 27, 2025, Cantonment Board civil member Puneet Bharti Shukla sought reconsideration of Board Resolution No. 09 dated April 21, 2025. The letter raised concerns over the notice period, the completeness of the agenda, the use of a resolution by circulation, public disclosure of the proposed charges and the process for inviting objections.
The letter also questioned the basis and procedure for collecting the user fee, referring to the E-Chhawani module and seeking the matter’s review at a Board meeting. These are claims and objections raised by the civil member; they should not be treated as established legal findings.
Before the Gazette notification was published, the detailed provisions of the by-laws were reportedly not available on the Cantonment Board’s official website or in the public domain, with only a public notice issued without specific details of the proposed charges. This raised concerns about whether residents had been adequately informed of the proposed fee structure and given a meaningful opportunity to raise objections, prompting civil member Puneet Bharti Shukla to question the process and seek reconsideration of the April 21, 2025, resolution. The proposal has since been kept pending, and fresh proposals are expected to be submitted. Whether the revised proposals retain the existing fee structure or introduce changes remains to be seen. The Board’s latest position on the proposed charges and their implementation will need to be confirmed separately.