Nagpur: Expressing displeasure over failure of 64 local bodies in setting up temporary storage and collection centres for
plastic waste, the
National Green Tribunal (
NGT) Pune bench has directed the state-level advisory committee (SLAC) to issue notices to such bodies asking why an environmental fine of Rs1 lakh should not be imposed on their heads.
In response to an environment interest litigation (EIL) filed by Sangli-based lecturer Ravindra Shinde through counsel
Asim Sarode, the NGT bench of justice Umesh D Savi and expert member Nagin Nanda directed SLAC to recover the fine individually from every municipal commissioner and chief executive officer of local bodies which have not complied with the court's directives.
According to the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016, it is mandatory for all the municipal councils and corporations to set up temporary places for deposit and collection of plastic waste.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), one of the respondents in the case, submitted to the court that only 193 out of 257 local bodies in the state have established such places. SLAC submitted that it has issued notices to the non-compliant bodies asking them to reply within 15 days.
In his petition which has 234 respondents, Shinde has stated that in almost all the municipal areas of the state, plastic carry bags below 50 microns were being used and no stringent action was taken by any authority. The petition further stated that only six out of 23 municipal corporations have submitted the mandatory tri-monthly reports regarding action taken against production, distribution, sell and use of plastic bags below 50 microns to the principal secretary of state environment department.
While the report of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation indicates that no legal action has been taken against the violators, that of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (
NMC) shows that around 20.86kg and 90.30kg of plastic bags below 50 microns were confiscated between January and March 2014 and October and December 2014 respectively. Also, Rs59,000 and Rs2.85 lakh were collected as fines during the same periods.
Apart from this, Shinde pointed out that municipal corporations of Thane, Nagpur, Solapur, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kalyan Dombivali, Amravati and Aurangabad did not initiate any action against the businessman, retail shop keepers and other people engaged in using or distributing banned carry bags.
Stating that 'plastic pollution' is harmful for animals, humans and environment, Shinde said that coloured plastic bags pose a major health hazard. "The chemicals used to colour plastic bags contain small amounts of lead and cadmium and these could permeate into food products stored in the bags," he added.
NGT
