THE BMC has decided to step up its drive against the use of plastic bags thinner than 50 microns to keep them from clogging the drains during the monsoons
THE BMC has decided to step up its drive against the use of plastic bags thinner than 50 microns to keep them from clogging the drains during the monsoons. 24 squads will be formed to scour the city for such violations and take action against offenders.
The decision was taken by the municipal commissioner in a meeting held to discuss the issue last week.
Chief Inspector (Shops and Establishment) R Nandanwar said, "As per the municipal commissioner's directives, the department will be intensifying the drive against the use of plastic in the city.
Plastic zones will be demarcated and squads will be formed at the ward level to identify areas in their wards where plastic is used in large quantities. This will be the first step towards curbing the usage."
Nandanwar added that inspectors, sanitary inspectors and nuisance detectors will take action against the violators with the help of officials from the encroachment department and clean marshals.
"In the next meeting, we will decide on the awareness programmes we can undertake to make citizens avoid using plastic and switch to eco-friendly bags," he said.
The squads will take action against grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, hawkers, etc by catching them red handed and jotting down details of plastic manufactures and distributors in the city on a daily basis.
The violators will be penalised.
BMC's Standing Committee Chairperson Rahul Shewale said, "We do not want a repeat of the June 11 incident wherein the Irla Pumping station got clogged with plastic and tarpaulin sheets.
People should not throw plastic bags in drains. They are meant to be disposed of in garbage trucks after waste segregation."
Number game
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