Will GHMC ban on plastic bags be successful?

Hyderabad: Whether the decision of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to implement the ban on plastic carry bags in the city would be successful? Definitely, it is a big task to the GHMC to enforce the ban on usage of plastic carry bags.
The GHMC has announced that ban on plastic carry bags would be enforced in the city limits from July 1. The business establishments and shops which violated the ban will have to cough up a hefty penalty (10 times of licence fee) or risk of closure of the business establishment. But a big question before us is what is the mechanism and setup to see enforcement of ban on plastic carry bags. The GHMC machinery was not in a position to take up drives for checking of hostels and sanitation in the areas. Though for enforcement of the ban, all deputy municipal commissioners have been designated as chief enforcement officers and assistant medical officers of health as additional chief enforcement officers at the circle level, there was no required staff at lower level to conduct raids to ensure strict enforcement of the ban. Besides, the business establishments seem to be not ready for the ban, which will come into force after two days. The business establishments need to go for paper and cloth bags made with environmental friendly material.
However, the vendors of small shops and vegetable outlets are quite happy over the decision of the GHMC. A vegetable vendor at Vanasthalipuram Rythu Bazar said: “Earlier, we had to compulsorily procure plastic carry bags for customers, lest they do not purchase goods from us. The cost of plastic carry bag eats into a part of our profit.”
A few months back, the State government had issued a GO banning usage of plastic carry bags and setting up of plastic flexis on the premises of the Secretariat, seat of State administration. Though there was a sanitary inspector, exclusively for Secretariat, the rule was violated with contempt. There was no strict implementation of the GO. The GHMC should learn lessions from it. The ban on plastic carry bags was being implemented in major parks since November 14 last year and all colony parks from January 1 this year. But, it was limited area. In the State, the ban on usage of plastic carry bags was being implemented at Tirumala and Srikalahasthi pilgrim towns.
It would be a definitely a big challenging task to implement the ban on plastic carry bags in metro cities such as Hyderabad. The corporation will launch an awareness campaign in June through hoardings, advertisements, slides in cinema halls and so on.
The effective implementation of ban on usage of plastic carry bags would yield good results to the City. The plastic bags were causing air pollution and water stagnation as drains are getting choked with such bags.

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