The Hindu 24.08.2012
Plastic materials seized
The Corporation health officials seized 1.5 tonne of
plastic covers/packets of less than 40 microns in thickness and
disposable plastic cups, from shops and establishments during a massive
raid conducted in the city on Thursday.
City Health
Officer (in-charge) H. Ramachandran told the reporters that fines to the
tune of Rs. 19,750 were slapped on 15 shop owners out of the 100 shops
inspected in Eswaran Koil Street, Daily Market, Old Bus Stand, Mangalam
Road, Govindagounder Street and Arisikadai Street. The shops found using
plastic materials were mainly groceries, tea stalls, sweet shops and
wholesale merchants.
“We have seized the materials
exercising the powers vested under Sections 41, 44 and 107 (a) (b) (c)
of Tamil Nadu Public Health Act 1939, and fined the shopkeepers using
the provisions under Plastic Handling and Management Rule, 2011,” he
added.
Mr. Ramachandran pointed out that in the case
of plastic cups, there were no stipulation of thickness in the laws and
hence, the shop owners should totally refrain from its usage.
Recycling
“We
have already created awareness among the traders and shopkeepers of the
guidelines in using plastic materials before going for the crackdown,”
he said.
The City Health Officer said the plastic materials seized during the day would be recycled and used for laying roads.
