The Times of India 09.03.2011
15kg of plastic bags seized in Ooty in surprise check
UDHAGAMANDALAM: In an
effort to crack down on increasing pollution, the municipal authorities
on Tuesday conducted a surprise check on 20 shops in the town. More than
15kg of plastic carry bags were found in about eight shops in the Ooty
market area.
“We concentrated on bakeries and provision shops
in the market area. During our surprise check, we found over 15kg of
plastic bags and packets in eight shops. We confiscated all the bags,”
said P G Banumathi,
Ooty municipal health officer. A team of eight municipal officials,
including the municipal commissioner, conducted surprise checks in over
20 shops in Ooty. “There is a total ban on plastic bags in the district
so we seized all the bags that we found in shops,” said Banumathi.
Alternative arrangements will be made to deal with products using
plastic packaging that come from other parts of the state and country,
she said. “It is a long process but steps will be taken to sort out the
issue,” she added. The eight shops were also fined `500 each. “This is
the first stage. If we find that the same shops continue to use plastic,
stringent action will be taken against them,” she said.
Banumathi said the authorities would consider cancelling shop licenses
if they did not comply with the rules. Surprise checks will also be
conducted in hotels and other shops, she added.
effort to crack down on increasing pollution, the municipal authorities
on Tuesday conducted a surprise check on 20 shops in the town. More than
15kg of plastic carry bags were found in about eight shops in the Ooty
market area.
“We concentrated on bakeries and provision shops
in the market area. During our surprise check, we found over 15kg of
plastic bags and packets in eight shops. We confiscated all the bags,”
said P G Banumathi,
Ooty municipal health officer. A team of eight municipal officials,
including the municipal commissioner, conducted surprise checks in over
20 shops in Ooty. “There is a total ban on plastic bags in the district
so we seized all the bags that we found in shops,” said Banumathi.
Alternative arrangements will be made to deal with products using
plastic packaging that come from other parts of the state and country,
she said. “It is a long process but steps will be taken to sort out the
issue,” she added. The eight shops were also fined `500 each. “This is
the first stage. If we find that the same shops continue to use plastic,
stringent action will be taken against them,” she said.
Banumathi said the authorities would consider cancelling shop licenses
if they did not comply with the rules. Surprise checks will also be
conducted in hotels and other shops, she added.
Last month, the
Nilgiris district administration launched a mass cleaning programme in
which volunteers, self help groups, local body employees and municipal
workers participated to clean up the town.
