61 Fines Issued in 1 Day as Environmental Police Launch National Crackdown

The Environment Police have intensified field operations across the country, issuing 61 fines in a single day as authorities struggle to contain a surge in public health threats linked to illegal dumping.

The crackdown, supported by the Emergency Response Service (ERS) on Wednesday, 13 May, comes amid alarming health figures released to Parliament.

Recent data confirms over 2,800 cases of chikungunya, 21 cases of leptospirosis resulting in six deaths, and a local case of dengue fever.

Severe Penalties for Illegal Dumping

Two lorry drivers were hit with heavy fines of Rs 25,000 each after being caught red-handed.

In Pamplemousses, a driver from Bel-Air/Rivière-Sèche was intercepted by the Environment Police’s Northern team while offloading green waste at a wasteland on Powder Mill Road.

A second driver, residing at Military Road, Vallée-Pitot, was fined for dumping domestic waste along Cemetery Road in the capital.

Neither individual possessed a waste transport permit, and both have been ordered to clear the sites immediately.

Wide-Ranging Enforcement

The day’s operations targeted various environmental and public health violations:

• 27 fines for littering on public roads.
• 20 fines for smoking in public places.
• 8 fines for vehicles emitting excessive smoke.
• 4 fines for noise pollution.

A “National Health Issue”

The Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Rajesh Bhagwan, condemned the “selfish” behaviour of citizens prioritising personal profit over public safety.

“Despite the proliferation of diseases linked to unsanitary conditions, certain people continue to act to the detriment of our children, our elderly, and our families,” the Minister stated in a communique issued on Thursday.

Mr Bhagwan revealed that since the start of the year, the Environment Police have issued 507 fines for illegal littering, 26 for fly-tipping, and 94 for smoky vehicles.

He warned that environmental incivility would no longer be tolerated, announcing a new awareness campaign to combat the persistent “bad habits” of some compatriots.

Source: Defi Media