MC begins drive, seizes 300 kg of plastic carry bags

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 24

Following the guidelines of the government, the Health Wing of the Municipal Corporation has started seizing polythene carry bags in the city. Five separate teams have been constituted to keep a check on the use of such bags.

On the first day of the drive, a team led by Raju Chowan carried out a raid at Trillium Mall on Circular Road and seized 300 kg of plastic bags from Big Bazaar at the mall. The MC officials also visited various garment showrooms and the food court at the mall.

Health officials asked the showroom owners to use paper or cloth-made bags.

The officials also gave directions not to use disposable plastic plates and glasses to serve food items.

It may be mentioned that even after a ban on the use of plastic carry bags in April 2016, its use is still going on unchecked.

The teams of sanitary inspectors of the MC would carry out raids at various markets and issue challans and seize polythene carry bags. As per the information available, the MC officials can impose a fine of Rs 25,000 on shopkeepers for the violation of the Punjab Plastic Carry Bags Control Act, 2005.

Residents have welcomed the move of the MC and demanded that the drive be continued till the plastic menace ends.

Gurpreet Singh, a resident, said,“Last year, the MC had initiated a drive against the use of plastic bags but under pressure from the shopkeepers, they stopped taking action against the violators. The action should continue.”