The ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ may soon get a legal beckoning as the government is drafting a law under which municipalities can punish those found spitting, urinating and throwing garbage in public places. The legislative department of the Law Ministry is finalising a 'model' law which can be adopted by states as per their local requirements. The decision to draft a model bill was taken after the legal affairs department of the Law Ministry said a central law on the subject would be difficult to implement.

"The Constitution has put sanitation and related issues in the state list. Therefore, there cannot be a central law. But cleanliness goes beyond a state's boundary. Thus, government plans a model law which can be adopted by states and modified as per their requirements," said a senior official. Government is of the view that self-regulation is not sufficient and a law to enforce the cleanliness drive will help the purpose.

Issues like punishment, fine and enforcement of the law are being worked out on the lines of traffic challans so that the violators can be booked on the spot. To avoid overlapping, the new law will be interwoven with existing rules in related sectors to make judicial approach to check practice of creating unhygienic atmosphere comprehensive and effective. The official pointed out that swine flu outbreak in a particular area affects the entire country, therefore, cleanliness cannot be termed as a local issue.