Chandigarh: 350-kg plastic carry bags seized in raid at mandi

Chandigarh, January 28

In order to curb pollution caused by single-use plastic in the city, a raid was conducted by a team of officials from the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC), along with a team of the SDM (East), at 6.30 am in the Sector 26 sabji mandi.

During the raid, two dealers, who supply plastic carry bags not only in the mandi but also to other vendors in the city, were identified and their entire stock of around 350 kg was seized from the spot, said Debendra Dalai, Member Secretary, CPCC, and Director, Environment, UT Administration.

He said the CPCC was keeping an eye on big suppliers of plastic carry bags in the mandi for the past few days and a raid was conducted. Action against the violators such as fine and legal action under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, had been initiated, he said.

“Use of single-use plastic has immensely polluted our environment with dire consequences,” he said, adding that with the intention of combating the problem of plastic pollution, the Department of Environment, UT, had imposed a complete ban on identified single-use plastic/thermocol items vide a notification, dated September 27, 2019.

However, it had been observed that the implementation of the ban had dwindled with the passage of time and the use of single-use plastic carry bags was still in vogue. The major cause of the problem was the use and sale of plastic carry bags by hawkers and vendors in apni mandis in Chandigarh, he said.

To ensure the effective implementation of the ban, the CPCC was regularly conducting awareness programmes on various platforms for sensitising the public and encouraging it to abstain from using single-use plastic items, especially plastic carry bags. People need be motivated to at least carry a cloth or jute bag while making purchases. Also, the officials concerned will be conducting raids and imposing a fine so that the use of single-use plastic items could be prevented and the use of other eco-friendly items promoted, he said. —