MBMC gears up to tackle plastic menace.
Bhayandar : After an extremely slow start, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has finally fast tracked its efforts to transform the twin-city into a No-Plastic Zone.
In a marathon drive launched by municipal commissioner Balaji Khatgaonkar since Thursday, MBMC’s health department has so far seized nearly 500 kilograms of plastic bags and collected fines amounting more than Rs 60,000 from local traders, shopkeepers and street vendors who were found using the banned material.
The civic administration has formed 13 special squads, each led by zonal sanitary inspectors who have been empowered to swoop down on erring establishment, seize the banned material and impose fines on the violators.
“There will be no leniency in implementing the blanket ban and crackdown on violators will be more aggressive after June 23,” said the civic chief while seeking voluntary support from traders and citizens to get rid the region of the menace which would automatically minimize the daily waste of a huge volume of plastic generated from the city.
The state government has imposed a ban on a vast range of plastic products, including carry bags. Although the ban came in-force on March 23, people have time till June 23to get rid of the banned material.
The civic administration claims to have made arrangements for collection of plastic items at its local ward offices, where citizen can dispose of the banned material.
However, as of now all the six zonal ward offices have registered almost zero collections. Lack of awareness in propagating the message urging people not to use plastic and to deposit it with the municipality, is said to be the reason for the failure of the much needed collection and disposal scheme.
Notably, the government on March 23 had issued the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products notification that banned the manufacture, use, storage, distribution, sale, import and transportation of all kinds of plastic items. The ban covers a wide range of articles made of plastic and thermocol, including, bags, dishes, cups, glasses, bowls, forks, spoon, straw, containers, and decoration items.