The reason that encouraged unbridled use of plastic bags in the country was that they came free with what you bought. So, in a move that would please the greens and reduce a persistent and pesky item from country's garbage bins, big retailers have begun charging for them. It would, hopefully, lead to significant less usage of the bags that are responsible for choked drainages and death of cattle and marine life.
Indian customers are notoriously fond of anything free. And just as cagey about anything they have to pay for. It is being hoped that the token charge being levied for the bags would encourage people to get their own cloth bags or reuse plastic ones more than once. Though right now, big retail chains are doing it, eventually all shops have to follow suit. The moves comes following a notification by ministry of environment and forests.
According to newly notified Plastic (Manufacture, Usage and Waste Management) Rules, 2009, no carry bags will be made available free of cost to consumers. The ministry has vested the power to determine the price of the much-sought-after carry bag with the municipal authorities. The municipal authority may also determine the minimum price for carry bags depending upon their quality and size that covers their material and waste management costs in order to encourage their re-use.
Confirming this, NMC health officer Dr Milind Ganvir said that within a couple of days, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board will issue a notification. He said it would be strictly implemented in city. He also said very thin plastic bags will continue to be totally banned.The bags will be categorized in two grades- food and non-food.Violation of law will not be spared, said Dr Ganvir.
For the first offence, fine will be Rs5,000 and for the second, it will be Rs10,000. For the third time, a fine of Rs25,000 will be levied along with provision of a three month rigorous imprisonment. The hazards plastics pose are numerous. The land littered with plastic bags presents an ugly and unhygienic scene, explained a official from MPCB. These bags find their way into the city drainage system choking it causing problems like water logging and flooding. It also pushes up maintenance cost of the drainage system and creates unhygienic environment. The littering also reduces rate of rain water percolating, resulting in lowering of already low water levels in cities. The soil fertility deteriorates as the plastic bags remain in the soil for years, said Dr Ganvir.
Indian customers are notoriously fond of anything free. And just as cagey about anything they have to pay for. It is being hoped that the token charge being levied for the bags would encourage people to get their own cloth bags or reuse plastic ones more than once. Though right now, big retail chains are doing it, eventually all shops have to follow suit. The moves comes following a notification by ministry of environment and forests.
According to newly notified Plastic (Manufacture, Usage and Waste Management) Rules, 2009, no carry bags will be made available free of cost to consumers. The ministry has vested the power to determine the price of the much-sought-after carry bag with the municipal authorities. The municipal authority may also determine the minimum price for carry bags depending upon their quality and size that covers their material and waste management costs in order to encourage their re-use.
Confirming this, NMC health officer Dr Milind Ganvir said that within a couple of days, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board will issue a notification. He said it would be strictly implemented in city. He also said very thin plastic bags will continue to be totally banned.The bags will be categorized in two grades- food and non-food.Violation of law will not be spared, said Dr Ganvir.
For the first offence, fine will be Rs5,000 and for the second, it will be Rs10,000. For the third time, a fine of Rs25,000 will be levied along with provision of a three month rigorous imprisonment. The hazards plastics pose are numerous. The land littered with plastic bags presents an ugly and unhygienic scene, explained a official from MPCB. These bags find their way into the city drainage system choking it causing problems like water logging and flooding. It also pushes up maintenance cost of the drainage system and creates unhygienic environment. The littering also reduces rate of rain water percolating, resulting in lowering of already low water levels in cities. The soil fertility deteriorates as the plastic bags remain in the soil for years, said Dr Ganvir.
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