Mumbai: The BMC seized nearly 4,058kg of plastic from July 1, 2022 till Jan 15, 2023, and recovered Rs40.25 lakh as related penalty from 805 stockists like shops, establishments and hawkers.
In 2018, the State Government banned single use plastic and the BMC began taking action against hawkers and shops. However, the Covid-19 pandemic put a spanner in the works. The civic body resumed action only in July 2022. Since then, it has also filed cases against 20 people who failed to pay the penalty.
A civic officer said the State Government had asked the BMC a couple of months ago to stop action against single use plastic but action has continued against shops and establishments using plastic bags thinner than 75 microns.
The aforementioned officer also agree that the action is slow paced as wards are busy with the PM SVAnidhi project and other BMC works said to be of paramount importance. He said the action against plastic stockists will soon resume.
The demand for ban against plastic was first raised after the July 26, 2005 deluge in Mumbai. A special committee appointed by the State Government had pointed out that single use plastic and carry bags thinner than 50 microns had blocked the water flow from storm water drains and nullahs
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