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Corporation intensifies drive against plastic bags

Saturday, 16 February 2013 09:46 administrator
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The Hindu                          16.02.2013

Corporation intensifies drive against plastic bags

Staff Reporter

Manufacturers fined Rs. 5,000, traders Rs. 500 and consumers to be fined Rs. 150.

Intensifying its drive against usage of plastic bags with less than 40 microns, Corporation health officials conducted inspections in shops and seized 648 kg of plastic bags and levied a fine of Rs. 32,000.

Teams led by City Health Officer V. Yasodhamani comprising Assistant Commissioners of each of four zones, sanitary inspectors and supervisors, are conducting inspections at manufacturing units, wholesale and retail sellers distributing plastic bags.

A total of 297 shops and units were raided after the ban was enforced by the civic body from January 4. Micron meters were used to test the thickness of the plastic and if found less than 40 microns, the plastic bags were seized.

Though departmental stores and many retail shop have started to charge extra for plastic bags with more than 40 microns, small shop keepers said that they were unaware of the ban and could not sell plastic bags for additional cost to their customers or supply it free.

The officials said that the manufacturers and sellers had to be sensitised to the health implications of using plastic bags so that the ban was completely enforced.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests had notified the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 to ban multilayered plastic pouches and sachets. Hence, consumers should avoid taking beverages in plastic cups, the officials added.

Manufactures who were found in procession of the plastic bags were levied a fine of Rs. 5,000 while traders were fined Rs. 500. Consumers, if found to be carrying or using the bags, would also be fined Rs.150.

Ms. Yasodhamani told The Hindu that awareness programmes would be conducted for the public through rallies, competitions for school students and pamphlet distributions apart from placing message boards at public places and at shops. “Meetings will also be held with Self-Help Groups and residential welfare associations to spread the message,” she added.

Last Updated on Saturday, 16 February 2013 09:50
 

Residents, traders in Tambaram to be fined for using thin plastic

Monday, 03 September 2012 04:25 administrator
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The Hindu    03.09.2012

Residents, traders in Tambaram to be fined for using thin plastic

K. Manikandan

Ban in place, penalty to come into force from September 15

modern-day menacePlastic bags and sheets below the thickness of 40 microns often find their way into water channels, stormwater drains, vacant and open spaces, and temple tanks —Photo: A. Muralitharan
 
modern-day menacePlastic bags and sheets below the thickness of 40 microns often find their way into water channels, stormwater drains, vacant and open spaces, and temple tanks —Photo: A. Muralitharan

Town panchayats around Tambaram will crack down on the use of plastic bags less than 40 microns thick and will fine anyone — residents or traders — found using them, from September 15.

This is the beginning of a series of attempts initiated by the department of municipal administration and water supply, especially the directorate of town panchayats, ever since the Central Government’s notification on Plastic Waste (Management and Handling Rules) 2011 was received.

“We have been trying to make this a reality since several months. The Centre’s notification was a huge boost. The menace of plastic waste has grown and spread to town panchayats too,” said Kalaivani Kamaraj, chairperson of Tiruneermalai town panchayat near Tambaram. The other town panchayats are Kunrathur, Mangadu, Perungalathur, Peerkankaranai, Sembakkam, Chitlapakkam and Madambakkam.

Pallikaranai, Meenambakkam, Perungudi and Sholinganallur town panchayats were merged with the Chennai Corporation last year. Ms. Kamaraj said that earlier, town panchayats had joined hands with voluntary agencies, self-help groups and environmental protection bodies to create awareness among people on the ills of using plastic.

“The message has reached the people and we hope that there will be a significant improvement from September 15 onwards,” she said.

S. Vimala, chairperson of Madambakkam town panchayat, said that that street plays, door-to-door campaigns and distribution of pamphlets had been carried out to ensure that every resident and trader was aware of the ban on use of plastic below the thickness of 40 microns. “People are willing to cooperate, but the interest has to be sustained,” she said.

From September 15, a first-time penalty of Rs. 100 would be levied on violators and repeated offenders would be fined as high as Rs. 500, Ms. Vimala said. While thicker bags available at supermarkets and departmental stores for a nominal ‘fee’ were used more than once, plastic bags and sheets below the thickness of 40 microns found their way into water channels, stormwater drains, vacant and open spaces, temple tanks and lakes, she said.

Though residents had reacted positively to the proposed penalty for violating the rule, punitive measures would act as a further deterrent and prevent people from using thin plastic below 40 microns, said experts. School children were targeted as instruments of spreading awareness among friends and family.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 September 2012 04:51
 

Corporation bans plastic items from Sept 1

Friday, 31 August 2012 06:33 administrator
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The Times of India    31.08.2012

Corporation bans plastic items from Sept 1

MADURAI: The city corporation has banned plastic bags, plastic cups and cans of less than 40 micron thickness from September 1.

The civic body adopted a resolution in this regard at the council meeting on Thursday. The resolution said that there was huge accumulation of plastic bags, cups and water cans dumped in the city limit that choke drainage channels, canals and pose health hazards. Hence, those products with less than 40 microns thickness are banned from being sold or used. If these products are found to be sold or used, the corporation staff would seize them, mayor V V Rajan Chellappa warned.

The city corporation has also planned to penalise the violators of the rule. If wholesale trading of the banned plastic products were found, a sum of Rs 500 would be levied as penalty besides seizure, while the penalty would be Rs 200 for retailers and Rs 100 for users. Trade outlets should stop delivering the goods in plastic bags of less than 40 micron thickness.

In a bid to discourage use of plastic bags the corporation has also increased the cost of the bags. Henceforth, small plastic bags would cost Re one, while medium and big bags would cost Rs2 and Rs 4 respectively. All these days, many trade outlets were giving small plastic bags free of cost to their consumers, while shops in malls were already charging customers for plastic bags.

In May this year, the then corporation commissioner (in-charge) N Arumuga Nainar, issued a statement saying that the Union ministry of forests and environment, through a circular had banned plastic products with a thickness of less than 40 micron. "The city corporation would slap a fine on those who manufacture, sell and buy such banned products," the statement said.

However, neither has the usage of plastic bags come down, nor any effort was taken to enforce the ban all these days. Prior to the expansion of the city, Madurai generated about 450 tonnes of waste everyday, out of which non-biodegradable waste like plastic, glass, rubber and rexin account for two per cent. And a sizeable part of this plastic waste is from the carry bags that are used unabated.

Last Updated on Friday, 31 August 2012 06:36
 
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