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The Pioneer 25th August 2005 Mumbai says no to plastic bags TN Raghunatha ? Mumbai Learning a lesson from the July 26 cloudburst and the subsequent floods in Mumbai, the Maharashtra Government has decided to ban the use of plastic sachets and bags in the entire State. The development comes as a consequence of realization by the authorities that indiscriminate use and dumping of plastic bags by people contributed to the choking of drainage lines and rivers that led to unprecedented floods in the metropolis last month. There has also been a clamour from the citizens groups and NGOs that the use of plastic bags be banned in the State. However, plastic bottles have been exempted from the purview of ban. Before notifying the date of start of implementation of the ban, the State Government will seek objections and suggestions, if any, against or for the move from the citizens during the next 30 days. As Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh himself said here on Wednesday, The Government is seeking objections from the citizens to ensure against any litigation in future. Under similar circumstances, the State Government had, in the past, banned the use and manufacture of plastic bags of the thickness more than 20 microns, but the move had not worked ? a fact that the Chief Minister himself admitted at this post-cabinet meet briefing. To a question, Mr. Deshmukh said that the ban, this time around, applied to plastic bags irrespective of their thickness. In another clarification, the Chief Minister said that there would not be any ban on the manufacture of plastic bags. ?People are free to manufacture plastic bags in the state and sell it other states. But they would not be allowed to sell their goods in the state,? he said. Under the proposed ban, traders, shopkeepers and hawkers found using plastic bags would be imposed a minimum of Rs. 5,000 fine each, depending on the stock size of plastic bags in his possession. After two such offenses, the erring persons would be arrested and imposed hefty fine from the third occasion onwards. Similarly, individual citizens found using plastic bags would be fined Rs.1,000 each. The State Government would authorize the administrative heads of civic bodies in urban areas and chief officers of Zila Parishads in rural areas, Mr. Deshmukh said. thanal "Man has lost the capacity to foresee and forestall. He will end by destroying the earth." Albert Schweitzer |
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