The Guntur Municipal Corporation has intensified its enforcement of the ban on single-use plastic in the city as it has come to light that many vendors are yet to comply with the new rule.
Be it vegetable vendors, flower sellers or grocery shops, all of them are reportedly continuing to use single-use plastic. Municipal Commissioner Keerthi Chekuri, who conducted surprise checks, issued instructions to municipal staff to impose a ₹5,000-fine on those using plastic bags below the prescribed thickness.
“We are making it clear that any shops, vegetable vendors, fruit vendors, malls and other establishments using single-use plastic would be fined ₹5,000. Action will also be taken against those manufacturing such plastic bags and those who hoard plastic carry bags. Task force teams have been set up to enforce the ban. On Saturday alone, ₹45,600 was collected in fines,” said Ms. Chekuri.
The Government of India had notified the Plastic Waste (Manufacture and Handling) Rules, 2011 under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the Andhra Pradesh government had issued a G.O. Ms no. 46 in the year 2013 notifying the above rules. Andhra Pradesh has also joined other States in banning single-use plastic.
The 2013 notification has several features including a ban on coloured carry bags, use of bags made with pigments and colorants not in conformity with Indian Standard: IS 9833:1981, ban on recycled plastics for storing, carrying, dispensing and packaging food stuff and a ban on plastic bags less than 50 microns in thickness.
The penal action includes a penalty of ₹50,000 on manufacturers making bags less than 50 microns in size, cancellation of licence to make bags and levying of fines on users in public places.
But many civic bodies, including GMC, had failed to enforce the ban. Now, with the Centre making it mandatory to enforce the ban from July 1, the GMC has intensified the drive to ban single-use plastic.
