The cash-starved Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) cracked on unauthorized hawkers and vendors in the city and collected a fine worth 6 Lakh. The civic body told that food hawkers prepare food under very unhygienic conditions which is detrimental to the health of public.

A BMC official added, "This was part of our ongoing drive against unauthorized hawking. We will continue to crackdown on such vendors till the New Year. Most of the food was being cooked in unhygienic conditions and the fact that people tend to eat out during festive season poses a risk to the lives of lakhs of citizen."

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation reported nine per cent rise in octroi collection during the end of 2010 as compared the octoroi collected during the corresponding period last year. It collected Rs 3,529.37 crore from April 1 to December 26 and total collection surged almost 25 per cent in the past three years.

Rise in octoroi at the end of years made the authorities concerned to revise the collection target to Rs 4934 crore as compared to Rs 4,750 crore for the financial year. BMC, having annual budget of Rs 21,000 crore last year, hopes that actual collection will rise in the coming year as well and touch the Rs 5,000 crore mark.