The Coimbatore Corporation on October 10 seized nearly 100 kg carry bags that were less than 40 microns thick. The seizure was the latest in the civic body’s fight against plastics.
The seizure, the sale of plastic carry bags, most of which are less than 40 microns thick, and negligible impact of the ban on plastics less than 40 microns thickness have forced the Corporation to consider stringent options, says Commissioner G. Latha.
Mere seizure of plastic carry bags, it appears, is not effective enough. For, the manufacturers, stockists and traders are back in the business within days, continuing to sell plastics.
This has forced the Corporation to consider cancelling the dangerous and offensive (D & O) trade license the Corporation issues. If the Corporation decides to go in for the license cancellation, it will issue a notice and based on the reply, cancel the license.
This will mean that the owner of the establishment who has been served the notice will not be able to run business and will have to close shop. The loss of business will force errant owners of commercial establishments to comply with the rules.
Sources say the Corporation was pushed to the wall to consider the move because their talks with manufacturers, stockists and traders appear to have failed.
As recently as a month ago, the Corporation called all people concerned with plastics to educate them on the need for stopping production of plastics that are less than 40 micron thickness and regulate the sale of plastics that are over 40 micron thickness.
The other reason the Corporation is going after those who deal with plastics is because when the used plastics end up in the waste, the civic body is finding it difficult to segregate and process the waste. This puts the very success of the Rs. 100 crore solid waste management scheme in jeopardy.
The sources add that the Corporation is also taking a few other steps to tackle plastics and they are at a very preliminary stage.
