Sale and use of plastic carry bags below 40 microns in thickness continues unabated, as the Mandya City Municipal Council (CMC) has failed to tackle the menace at source.
With an assurance of ‘Making Mandya Environment-Friendly’, the CMC had clamped a ban on these plastic bags within the city limits in 2011, under the Environment Protection Act.
Manufacturing, stocking, selling and distributing these plastic bags attracts fine under the Act.
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One can see piles of waste plastic covers lying in drains/roads in all 35 wards of the CMC. The garbage bins at Labour colony, Gandhi Nagar, Pete Beedhi, Market, Kallahalli, Chamundeshwari Nagar, Halahalli, Christian Colony, Guthalu and other places are filled with plastic covers.
Sources in the CMC said the city has around 18,000 commercial establishments. The shopkeepers, vegetable sellers, hoteliers and traders have been flouting the ban order.
Stressing the need to initiate tough measures, CMC Commissioner N.M. Shashikumar said, “The CMC will curb the menace with the help of shop keepers, hospitals, hoteliers and other traders shortly.”
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Environment Engineer N.S. Sneha, CMC, told The Hindu, “The CMC had already imposed certain restrictions pertaining to the use of plastic covers in the city.” The civic authority has issued advisories to the public/traders over the issue. The CMC would conduct surprise raids to check violations, Ms. Sneha and Mr. Shashikumar told this correspondent here on Wednesday.
The Environment Engineer said, “The Health Inspectors will impose fine amounting from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000 to the traders.”
Ms. Sneha admitted that the CMC had not imposed penalty on a single trader for violating norms. “We had seized banned plastic covers from many shops and warned the traders of stringent action,” she said.
HelplineThe civic authority has set up a helpline at the CMC office to curb the menace. The public can call 08232-226749 in case of violations.