The Madurai Corporation is planning a complete ban on plastic cups and carry bags in the city. This issue is likely to be taken up for discussion at the Council meeting to be held on Friday.
Based on a report prepared by an expert team, the Corporation is mulling the ban, and a final decision will be taken based on the response from the Councillors.
Official sources told The Hindu on Thursday that the civic body’s aim was to make Madurai totally free of plastic cups and bags, irrespective of their thickness.
“Already there is a ban on the manufacture and use of plastic bags which have a thickness below 40 microns. But, the Madurai Corporation may try to impose a total ban on the use of plastic carry bags and plastic cups irrespective of their thickness,” sources said.
The move to ban them was initiated because they were found to be a major cause for blockages along drainage lines and water channels.
“As plastic cups and carry bags get dumped everywhere, the drainage system is getting affected. It is leading to mosquito breeding and also the soil loses fertility,” according to an official.
The Corporation will initiate steps in such a way that paper cups and paper bags will gradually replace the ones made of plastic in the interest of the people.
As and when the guidelines are ready and if it gets approval from all the stakeholders, special inspection teams would be deputed to conduct raids on shops and business establishments and seize the banned plastic items, if any.
Meanwhile, in another major step, the Corporation schools in Madurai have gone solar to meet their power requirements.
Mayor V.V.Rajan Chellappa, along with Commissioner R.Nanthagopal, inaugurated solar energy units at four Corporation schools in the city. Solar panels were installed at a cost of Rs.5.73 lakh in Sethupathi Pandithurai Higher Secondary School, Velli Veethiyar Girls Higher Secondary School, Thiru.Vi.Ka.Higher Secondary School and Ponmudiyar Girls Higher Secondary School.
With the one kilowatt solar power generated, the Corporation schools will be able to use lights and fans in a few classrooms.
The Mayor and Commissioner have announced that other Corporation schools will also be provided with solar power units when schools reopen after vacation.
