The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has resumed its drive against the illegal use of single-use plastic. The Nerul ward has seized around 800 kg of banned plastic worth Rs 40,000 in the Shirvane and Juinagar markets at Nerul. With the focus on controlling the second wave of Covid-19, the civic body had halted the drive.
In 2018, the Maharashtra government had imposed a ban on the manufacturing, use, sale, distribution, and storage of plastic materials, including one-time-use bags, spoons, and plates, among others. Now, with an eye on the number one rank in the upcoming cleanliness survey, the civic body is taking strict action against violators.
From April 2019 to March 2020, the NMMC had collected over Rs 32 lakh as fines from violators. Last year, the civic body, between April and November, had collected around Rs 2.2 lakh as fines from violators. In March this year, in a joint operation with the police, the civic body had seized 950 kg of banned plastic from the vegetable market at APMC Vashi.
An official from the solid waste management department said that recent action was taken after banned single-use plastic bags were brought in sacks in two small tempos to Shirvane village for retail sale. Both the vehicles were also seized, the official.
