GHMC slaps fines over 45,000 on 80 florists

Hyderabad: Flower vendors of the Jambagh flower market located at Moazzam Jahi Market on Tuesday alleged that they have been charged with unnecessary fines by the Assistant Medical Officers of Health (AMOHs) of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The AMOHs along with GHMC officials inspected the Jambagh flower market and slapped hefty fines on more than 80 florists amounting to more than Rs 45,000 as each florist received a fine of Rs 500. One florist was slapped with Rs 7,000 and other florists got a Rs 5,000 fine.

According to the GHMC officials, fines were issued as the florists were dumping flower waste on roads and using plastic covers more than 75 microns. Further, officials said that they found that without any permission from the Commissioner of the GHMC the florists have placed shops on the street causing inconvenience to the general public which is an offence committed under the sections of the GHMC Act, 1955. With fewer than 674 of the HMC Act, the offence is compounded with a fine, said the official. However, the florists alleged that they have been running the shops form a long time now and were also cleaning the roads while closing shops.