After achieving some success in banning plastic bags in malls and big shops, Delhi Government is all set to crack whip on small shops, weekly and vegetable markets to prohibit its usage in the city.
"It has been felt that though some success has been achieved in banning plastic bags in malls and big shops selling branded items, there is a need to focus on vigorous implementation of ban on plastic bags (by agencies) in their respective areas of jurisdiction," a senior environment official said.
Delhi Environment Secretary Dharmendra at a recent meeting directed MCD and NDMC officials to take action against local markets and weekly markets and conduct regular inspections in their areas to implement the ban.
He also asked Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) officials to conduct inspections and raids twice a week at wholesale shops in Sadar Bazar and Khurshid markets in the walled city which is considered source of the hazardous plastic bags.
The Delhi Degradable Plastic Bag (Manufacture, Sale and Usage) and Garbage (Control) Act 2000, which was amended in 2005, states that four- and five-star hotels, hospitals with 100 beds or more, restaurants with seating arrangement of 100 and more, Mother Dairy outlets, liquor vends and shopping malls will only use degradable plastic bags.
Violators may be booked under Environment Protection Act, 1986. The punishment envisages imprisonment up to five years and/or fine of upto Rs1 lakh.
Since the notification of the Act early last year, the government has filed only 200 challans against violators, mainly mall-owners and shopkeepers while 20 cases have reached their logical end in the court, the official added.
