The teams led by GHMC assistant medical officer of health Dr T. Damodar raided five showrooms including Shoppers Stop, Neeru’s, Mother’s Care, Mebaz and Kalaniketan in GVK One mall at Banjara Hills.

 

The raids were conducted following complaints that the showrooms were openly charging money for plastic carry bags. Though the GHMC had asked the traders to charge money for plastic carry bags when the ban on below 40 micron carry bags was announced, the orders were withdrawn two months ago and traders were told to actually shun use and sale of plastic carry bags and sell cloth bags instead. 

 

In case the cloth bags stock is exhausted, the traders have to give above 40 microns plastic bags free of cost to customers, he said. As many as 3,500 plastic carry bags of various sizes were seized from the five showrooms. 

 

“On non-payment of penalty by Mother’s Care management, we sealed it. The remaining four showrooms were let off with a warning after they paid penalties ranging from `25,000 to `50,000 each,” Dr Damodar said.

 

The GHMC officials said that two months back a meeting was conducted with representatives of malls and high-profile showrooms. 

 

In the meeting, the managements were clearly told not to sell plastic carry bags and also offer cloth and jute bags besides providing some discount to those coming with their own cloth and jute bags. 

 

“Despite being given sufficient time, the showroom managements failed to fall in line and discourage use of plastic bags. We are going to continue the raids in all shops and establishments in the city,” Damodar said.

 

Almost every store in the city sells plastic bags for as much as Rs 7 and more, depending upon the size and quality. 

 

“We are not aware when the GHMC withdrew its orders that made it mandatory for all stores to charge for plastic carry bags,” said the manager of a popular store on Prenderghast Road. The ban on sale of plastic bags thinner than 40 microns came into effect on July 1, 2011.

 

Sources said that GHMC officials had conducted a meeting with managements, owners and representatives of a handful of showrooms, stores and malls in May and June and had told them to stop charging money for the bags. But it was not communicated to commercial establishments.