Mayor does a u-turn on blanket plastic ban

HYDERABAD: Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy and GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babu on Tuesday did a Uturn on the proposed blanket ban on the usage of plastic carry bags under Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits from July 1.

However, till the receipt of government orders, the ban will be imposed on manufacture, sale, usage of plastic carry bags up to 40 microns thickness.

The final notification issued by the government of India in Plastics (Manufacture, usage and waste management) Rules 2009 will be implemented in GHMC limits.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Karthika Reddy along with Krishna Babu said in order to implement the ban on plastic carry bags, GHMC in the first phase will target those plastic manufacturing units which are found making plastic carry bags with less then 40 microns thickness, a penalty of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 will be levied and if the units continue to violate the rules the GHMC would seal and confiscate the machinery.

The second target would be shops and establishments, selling carry bags wherein a penalty between Rs 2,500- 5,000 would be slapped on and if need be shops would be sealed.

The final target will be the general public. Persons found carrying plastic carry bags will be fined, Krishna Babu said.

‘’Our intention is not to harass the public but to see that they stay away from using plastic carry bags to protect environment from further degradation,’’ he said.

It may be recalled that the GHMC standing committee in April this year passed a resolution for total ban on usage and manufacturing of plastic bags from July 1.

Mayor appealed to the people to desist from usage of plastic carry bags and encourage environment-friendly products such as cloth and jute bags to protect the environment.

Source:IBN

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