The Hindu         19.11.2011

VMC to act tough on sale of plastic bags

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation officials have threatened to take serious action against the shops and commercial organisations if they continue to sell plastic carry bags. The officials said that though warnings were issued in the past, the shops were continuing to provide carry bags in violation of the prohibitory orders.

Health officials of VMC under the instructions of Municipal Commissioner G. Ravi Babu inspected several shops at Rajiv Gandhi Flower Market, bus station and Benz Circle. They seized huge stocks of plastic bags after they found some shop owners selling carry bags which had thickness in violation of the rules (40 microns).

Assistant medical officer Z. Srinivasa Rao said that many shop owners were punished with penalties and fines but there was no change in the use of carry bags.

From now on, the officials would conduct surprise checks at regular intervals and see that the problem is completely solved.

The officials also pulled up some shop owners for selling carry bags which were not having enough quality and the owners were asked to use cloth bags in place of plastic to meet the environmental-friendly guidelines. Sanitary supervisor Ramamohana Rao, sanitary inspectors and others were present.