The Greater Chennai Corporation and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) will adopt new strategies to “totally eliminate” single-use plastics in the city.
On Friday, officials of the TNPCB and the Corporation will participate in a meeting to finalise strategies to promote cloth bags and paper bags.
Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said the Corporation would have the TNPCB’s complete support.
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“Principal Secretary Supriya Sahu is conducting a series of meetings with the Plastic Manufacturers’ Association, asking them to seek out alternatives. We are also encouraging cloth bag manufacturers. We are putting constant pressure. The method is more persuasion than fining. We will ensure that society itself is involved in the entire process,” he said.
Residents’ cooperation
“The Corporation will take steps to ensure that traders do not sell their products in single-use plastic bags and instead encourage residents to either collect their goods in cloth or paper bags. This is because the disposal of plastics is a big environmental hazard,” Mr. Bedi said.
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On Thursday, Corporation officials conducted a raid in Pondy Bazaar and seized three bundles of banned plastic products.
During the period between August 19 and October 6, the Corporation had seized 2.82 tonnes of banned plastics and imposed a fine of ₹6.92 lakh.
The civic body has inspected 7,328 commercial establishments and seized plastic products during the period. Inspections will be intensified to persuade traders to stop using single-use plastics.
Issues pertaining to manufacturing of affordable cloth and paper bags are expected to be discussed at the meeting.
The civic body will ensure that good quality cloth bags and paper bags are sold at affordable prices in the market, as an alternative to banned plastic bags.