Mumbai plastic ban: In two weeks BMC collects Rs 2.85 lakh in fine

The BMC has seized 225 kg of plastic and collected a fine of Rs 2.85 lakh in the last two weeks under a drive that began on July 1. Legal proceedings have been initiated against four violators who refused to pay the fine.

The anti-plastic drive suffered a setback during the Covid-19 pandemic. So, plastic was in use by shop owners and the general public in the markets. Since the positive cases have declined and restrictions lifted, the civic team is back in action against banned plastic, including single-use disposable plastic.

BMC officials from the markets, shops, establishments, and license departments have started visiting malls, supermarkets, and shops in the city. "A ward-wise team of these officials has inspected 6600 places and taken action against 55 violators using banned plastic. The team will visit the places in their respective ward regularly,” said the civic official from the shops and establishment department.

The production, transportation, sale, storage, handling, and use of prohibited plastic as prescribed by the Maharashtra government is prohibited under the Maharashtra Degradable and Non-Degradable Waste (Control) Act, 2006.

In 2018, the state government passed a law imposing a plastic-use ban. Accordingly, the BMC sprung into action and seized one lakh kg of plastic and earned Rs 5,53,90,000 in fines against the use of plastics. The violators are fined Rs 5,000-25,000 along with three-months imprisonment if required.