The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has been increasingly taking action against the use of banned plastics in the city. Last week, the civic officials seized over 800kg of banned plastic from a wholesale seller. They also collected a fine of Rs 25,000.
In the last three months, the civic body has seized over 1.40 lakh kg of plastic which is the highest seizure since the Maharashtra government banned one-time-use bags, cutlery, PET and PETE bottles, and thermocol items in 2018.
The civic agency has been taking action against violators since it was first banned, however, it has tightened their drive against its use after the Union government banned it across the country on July 1, 2022.
The special cell receives tip-off
A special team of Belapur ward office received a tip-off that a woman was selling plastic bags to vendors and hawkers every day in the Seawoods area. Accordingly, the team kept a close watch and caught a woman red handed selling plastic bags and seized weighing 30 kg from her and collected a fine of Rs. 5000.
Following the seizure, the team learned that the woman was taking bags and selling them from Mahadev Traders in Karavegaon. Accordingly, the team raided the Mahaveer Traders shop at Karavegaon and seized single-use plastic as well as containers, spoons, garbage bags, and plastic banned items weighing 800 kg in the godown.
Plastic ban in Maharashtra
The use of single-use plastic bags below 50 microns was already banned in 2006 and in 2018, the state government banned all kinds of single-use plastics and thermocol. Following this, the civic body formed eight committees at the ward level.
After the central government banned single-use plastic, the civic body conducted a workshop to inform people about the alternatives available for banned plastic.
It also posts memes, banners and digital posters on its social media account to reach out to common citizens to create an awareness to stop using single-use plastics.
