Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

AGARTALA: Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Monday appealed to people to abide by the norms laid down by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), maintaining that those found throwing garbage on the roads and urinating in public would be punished.

Deb also said that his government has taken up the "onerous task" of keeping civic body areas garbage free.

"People dump garbage and poly bags in the open, clogging drains and the sewerage system. Some even urinate in public and spit on roads. We need to raise awareness to stop this menace," the chief minister said while inaugurating a workshop on 'Solid Waste and Liquid Resource Management' here.

The state has been training waste-pickers to segregate garbage at source, he said.

"The waste pickers will collect trash from each and every household in the capital city and segregate the plastic from other garbage. Thereafter, the plastic waste will be sent for recycling," he said.

Deb also iterated that non-performers in government offices would be forced to go on compulsory retirement.

"It is easier to keep a small state like Tripura clean when compared to other big states like Andhra Pradesh , Uttar Pradesh or Tamil Nadu. Officials will be taken to task if they fail to perform their duties. Some might even be forced to go on compulsory retirement," he added.

