The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had plans to curb the plastic bags menace that date back to 2008. The civic body had asked the state government to make a provision for stringent action to discourage the manufacturing and circulation of plastic bags.
The BMC had even suggested that end users must be penalised for using plastic bags. But, the state government has been sitting over the proposals for the last two years.
After the monsoon deluge in 2005, the BMC had banned thin plastic bags that were less than 50 microns. The thin plastic bags had chocked the drains, which resulted in water logging at various locations in the city. The civic body even initiated action against users of plastic bags but did not succeed in implementing the ban in totality.
The corporation had even suggested that the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) should step in and keep tab on the units that manufacture plastic bags. The BMC felt it would help in reducing the production of the banned bags.
According to the existing rules, retailers, shopkeepers, street vendors and manufactures of plastic bags are fined but not the end user, which is the customers. BMC wanted the end user to be fined Rs5-10 and hold them responsible for aiding and abetting circulation of banned plastic bags.
The BMC had also pointed out the loopholes in the existing rules that allow offenders to go scot-free. Despite raids by authorities on industries producing plastic bags, the manufacturers still continue their production due to the lenient punishment. The BMC suggested an increase in the fine with first time offenders being levied a penalty of Rs5,000 and Rs10,000 as a penalty for committing the offence again. Thereafter the offenders will have to pay Rs25,000 as the fine and will have to face 3 months imprisonment.
However, none of the BMC’s proposed changes in the rules for punishing offenders have been implemented by the state government, thus leading to free usage of plastic bags in the city.
