Drive to curb use of plastic bags loses momentum

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 9

The implementation of the ban on the use of plastic bags is poor here. The authorities concerned have been able to issue only 194 challans with a penalty of Rs 5.23 lakh in the first six months of the year.

The Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) has announced to step up the campaign. The current speed of issuing challans per month comes to just 32 though the use of plastic bags is rampant, claim sources in the department concerned. The total plastic material seized till June 30 this year is 94.4 kg.

The pace of penalising is also sluggish in comparison to the work done last year (2018). A total of 684 challans were issued in 12 months and a penalty of Rs 18.67 lakh was imposed, besides recovering 1,800 kg of plastic material in 2018. That came out to be 57 challans per month, almost double than this year.

The pace of implementation of the notification issued by the state government on August 20, 2013, regarding banning the use of plastic carry bags was very poor in the period between August 2013 and 2017 as only 587 challans were issued with a penalty of just Rs 3.3 lakh.

“In 2018, it was taken up seriously and the number of challans touched 684 in a year,” claimed an official on the condition of anonymity.

The work nearly got stalled in view of the General Election held in May as the officials concerned were busy in election-related work.

“Besides creating mass awareness, bulk waste generators like hotels, restaurants (eateries), general stores and hospitals will be targeted where plastic waste of 30 kg or more is generated daily,” said Rohtash Bishnoi, Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF).

Claiming that plastic was mainly responsible for the choking of drains and pollution, he said the officials concerned would be asked to submit periodic reports on the challans issued and the penalty imposed.