Even 21 days after the enforcement of the ban on 14 plastic items, the rules for collection of fines have not been officially notified in the State.
Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and Karnataka have notified rates. The Bengaluru Corporation has fixed a fine of ₹2 lakh for first-time offenders among manufacturers and ₹5 lakh for subsequent offences. Similarly, for storage, ₹1 lakh is the fine amount for first-time offences and ₹2 lakh for second and subsequent offences. Fine amounts have been fixed for commercial and domestic users as well. For domestic users, it is ₹500 for first time and ₹1,000 for second and subsequent offences, explained an industry expert.
Menace continues
Despite the ban, plastic carry bags are still finding their way to bins in the city. Environmentalists feel fines for domestic and commercial users need to be notified to ensure that plastics are sent for recycling. Many shops in areas like T. Nagar were seen giving plastic bags even last week. On Monday, several flower vendors were seen packing flowers in plastic carry bags.
Plastics traders and manufacturers question the way they are being fined under health sections of local body Acts for possessing any of the items that have been banned in the State from January 1.
“Some local body officials are just carting off the items saying the items are banned. In some places, they are imposing fines between ₹2,000 and ₹20,000. And there is no receipt in many cases. Wherever there are receipts, they say the fine was levied under health sections for causing dengue. We don’t understand how plastic covers stacked inside shops can cause dengue and are a threat to public health,” said a trader.