Mumbai: BMC seizes 4,058kg plastic , recovers penalties worth Rs 40 lakh

From July 1, 2022, to January 15, 2023, the BMC confiscated nearly 4,058kg of plastic and recovered Rs 40.25 lakh in penalties from 805 stockists, such as shops, establishments, and hawkers.

The state government banned single-use plastic in 2018, and the BMC began taking action against hawkers and shops. The COVID-19 pandemic, on the other hand, put a spanner in the works. Only in July 2022 will the civic body resume operations. It has also filed cases against 20 people who have failed to pay the penalty since then.

According to a civic official, the state government asked the BMC a few months ago to stop action against single-use plastic, but action against shops and establishments using plastic bags thinner than 75 microns has continued.

The aforementioned officer also agrees that the action is slow because the wards are preoccupied with the PM SVAnidhi project and other critical BMC tasks. He stated that the fight against plastic straws will resume soon.

The demand for a ban on plastic was originally made following the July 26, 2005, deluge in Mumbai. A special committee appointed by the state government found that single-use plastic and carry bags thinner than 50 microns had blocked stormwater drains and nullahs.