They are imposing high fines on those who violate new community hygiene regulations

Photo: Rui Lira | CN360

Text: Copa Noticias 360 editorial

The Havana government has approved a set of measures to comply with the capital’s decoration, hygiene and community services regulations that include penalties for citizens who violate community hygiene regulations.

For this reason, it was decided to cancel Resolution 87 of 2022 and approve Resolution 190 of 2023, “taking into account the current economic context of the country, and the necessity of mobilizing popular awareness in order to pay attention to the health of the population and the beauty and cleanliness of the capital,” according to a note from the state portal CubaSí.

These new measures target those who by any means influence or form collective deposits designated for household garbage collection. Fines ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 COP will be imposed on those who do not comply, in addition to the obligation to compensate for the resulting damages.

On the other hand, fines ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 cups will be imposed on those who throw waste outside the tanks and during the specified hours, or without a license to change the location of the containers located on public roads to deposit household waste. .

Among other measures, fines of between 3,500 and 4,000 kopecks are imposed on those who throw into deposits designated for the collection of household waste, debris, wood, metals or other inappropriate objects, such as waste generated by production, trade, gastronomy and food services.

According to the information, other collection systems are being established for the latter after contracting the service with the municipal municipal company or the regional municipal cleaning company.

As for the remaining violations and the amount of fines, they were considered in the sections of the first decision of the new regulations that were approved by the Governor of Havana and will enter into force on September 20.

For their compliance, the Regional Inspection Directorate, the Municipal Inspection Directorates, the National Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the bodies and groups of Water Resources Inspectors, the Electricity, Hygiene and Epidemiological Company and other authorized bodies are authorized to supervise, and thus act, approved by the Municipal Administration Boards.

Resolution 190 of 2023 adds that in the event of appeals against disputes over fines imposed, “the authority to resolve them will be limited only to the Legal Oversight Committee of each enforcement body or the corresponding municipal administrative board.”

Communication channels are also available for requests for solid waste collection services, contracting, or other information. To this end, the Regional Hygiene Company has a telephone number of 7 2620580 in the Commercial Sub-Directorate and 7 2601440 in the Command Centre. Likewise, interested parties can contact the Municipal Municipal Corporation in each municipality.

In recent months, many Havana residents have denounced their alarming situation regarding garbage collection. The photos show corners of the capital filled with garbage, something that happens not only in remote areas or in areas that have suffered from this evil for years, such as Old Havana or Central Havana, but also extends to the main arteries of the city.

According to posts on social media, some residents of those affected places thought about whether it was necessary to privatize waste collection, to be implemented properly, “since it has not been collected in many places in the capital for a month.”

Now with the new measures, it is expected that this situation will improve, or at least fines will be imposed for violations. However, they insist on the idea that the situation is not just about making those who do not comply pay, but that action is needed on the part of the government to improve and keep the spaces designated for waste clean and collected.