No end to polythene bag hazard

Mumbai: The ban on illegal plastic carry bags has failed to serve its purpose as its use has continued to grow in the city. In the last three years, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has seized nearly 5000 kgs of illegal plastic bags and collected a fine of more than Rs 1.5 crore.

According to civic officials, the BMC has registered 3052 cases of the use of illegal plastic carry bags in last three years from 2014-2016. Apart from seizing 4805 kgs of bags, it levied a fine of Rs 1.5 crore on shopkeepers and hawkers for the use of banned plastic bags.

Mumbai daily generates 7,500 metric tonnes of garbage, a significant share of which contains plastic. The clogging of drains due to plastic carry bags was one of the prime reasons for the 26/7 deluge in 2005, in which the entire city came to a standstill and over thousand people lost their lives. Following the floods, plastic carry bags under the thickness of 50 microns and size under 8x12 inches were banned by the State Government under the Maharashtra Non-biodegradable Garbage Control (MNBGC) Act.

The violation of this act would invite a penalty of Rs 5000 and Rs 10,000 for the first and second offence. The following offences will be liable for the punishment of Rs 25,000 fine and imprisonment of three months.

Despite the ban, plastic carry bags are easily available all over the place in the city. The clandestine supply of carry bags from neighbouring cities has further added to the plastic menace in the city.

Civic officials have blamed it on the illegal supply of banned plastic carry bags from neighbouring cities. “Despite the ban, carry bags are supplied from neighbouring cities like Diu, Daman, Silvassa, Vasai, Dahanu etc. We have formed squads to take action against the banned carry bags,” said a senior civic official.