Mumbai: BMC intensifies action against single-use plastic, collects Rs 1.45 lakh in fines

BMC officials collect fine from a store owner in Mumbai

Intensifying its campaign banning single-use plastic, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday seized 61.5 kg of plastic from various establishments and collected a fine of Rs 1.45 lakh from them.

The move comes after an order from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board chairman Siddhesh Kadam. The BMC had last Monday (January 13) launched a campaign to tackle the use of single-use plastics, thermocol products like dishes, spoons, glasses, and carry bags.

According to a BMC official, teams from each ward visited a total of 1145 establishments. Among these, 29 cases were registered, resulting in the seizure of approximately 61.5 kg of plastic from where fines amounting to Rs 1.45 lakh were collected.

Deputy Chief Municipal Commissioner Chanda Jadhav has appealed to citizens to comply with the law and cooperate in this effort. According to the BMC, from January 1 to January 19, inspections were conducted at 5783 establishments, resulting in 118 cases where approximately 167 kg of plastic was seized, and a total fine of Rs 6.10 lakh was collected.

The Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products (MUSTH&S) Notification, 2018, bans the sale and usage of single-use plastic items such as carry bags, earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration, plates, cups, glasses, and cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, and trays.

According to the notification, non-woven polypropylene carry bags not more than 60 grams per square meter and plastic packaging material with a thickness of less than 50 microns can be used if necessary to maintain the functionality of the product.