In its first House meeting held on Wednesday, the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) unanimously approved stringent penalties to curb illegal dumping of construction debris and the abandonment of stray cattle within the city limits.

The House decided to impose a fine of Rs 1 lakh on those found abandoning stray cattle within the city limits. It also approved a penalty of Rs 25,000 on owners of vehicles found throwing or dumping construction debris along roadsides or at unauthorised locations, besides impounding the vehicles.

After the meeting, Bathinda Mayor Padamjeet Singh Mehta said the decisions would help restore the city's beauty and improve civic cleanliness. He said, "It was observed that some people were dumping debris wherever they wished, creating inconvenience for residents and affecting the city's appearance."

Meanwhile, Independent councillor Harpal Singh claimed that he had suggested that the penalty for throwing construction debris along roadsides should be increased in a phased manner.