Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora has urged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to publicly identify and fine habitual offenders of public urination [1].
The proposal seeks to address systemic sanitation issues in Mumbai by shifting from passive enforcement to a more aggressive deterrent strategy. By targeting repeat violators, the initiative aims to instill a stronger sense of civic responsibility among residents and visitors in the city [2].
Deora said the BMC should implement a "name-and-shame" model similar to a system currently used in Assam [1]. Under this proposed framework, individuals who repeatedly engage in public urination, spitting, or littering would be publicly identified and subjected to fines [2]. The goal is to penalize those who consistently violate civic laws to ensure public spaces remain clean.
Beyond punitive measures, the MP said the municipal body needs to improve the infrastructure of the city. He called for better access to clean and well-maintained public toilets to ensure that citizens have viable alternatives to public urination [1].
The push for these measures comes as part of a broader effort to improve urban sanitation and public health standards in Mumbai [2]. By combining the threat of public exposure with improved facilities, the proposal attempts to tackle both the behavioral and structural causes of urban blight, a strategy designed to create a more disciplined public environment [2].
“The proposal seeks to address systemic sanitation issues in Mumbai by shifting from passive enforcement to a more aggressive deterrent strategy.”
This proposal represents a shift toward social shaming as a tool for urban governance in India. By citing Assam's model, Deora is advocating for a policy where social stigma and financial penalties work in tandem to enforce civic hygiene. The success of such a policy in Mumbai would depend on the BMC's ability to accurately track repeat offenders and simultaneously expand toilet infrastructure to avoid penalizing those with no other options.
