While Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray has promised a plastic-free state by May 2020, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) seems to be going easy on citizens in the endeavour. At the time the ban was brought into force, the BMC had said citizens, too, would be penalised if found carrying plastic bags. Now, it says no fine, and at most citizens will have to carry the items in their hands if caught carrying single-use plastic bags. The administration is sticking to awareness and action only against retailers and hawkers.

Since March 1, onwards, after the ban was reinforced two years since it was announced, the markets department has been threatening vendors inside municipal markets that they could lose their licences if they flout the ban. The civic body has started urging all citizens, traders, vendors, hawkers to shun restricted plastic. The corporation has formed a team of officials from the licences, health, markets, shops and establishments, education departments to carry out preventive action by raiding establishments and commercial places.