With the district administration deciding to take the anti-plastics campaign in The Nilgiris to a higher level, many areas witnessed heightened activity on Friday.
Focus was on enhancing awareness about the ban on plastic items particularly carry bags, cups, and plates and identifying violators including tourists.
According to The Nilgiris Collector P. Sankar, five teams fanned out to different parts of Ooty like the Government Botanical Garden, Charing Cross and Lower Bazaar, four teams moved into the hubs of Coonoor, one went around the Jagathala Town Panchayat and another carried out surprise checks in the Ketti Town Panchayat. The objective was to involve all sections of the society in the war against plastics.
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The teams comprising officials were accompanied by police personnel. They intercepted vehicles and collected a fine of Rs.100 each from violators.
Simultaneously the banned plastic bags were replaced with eco-friendly bags. While a sum of Rs. 7,900 was collected as fine from tourists and locals here, the total fine amount collected in Coonoor was Rs. 6,900.
The Collector said that such initiatives to make The Nilgiris a plastics-free district would continue.
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