Nagpur: Despite continuous action, banned plastic bags are being used in Nagpur city markets. The Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS) of Nagpur Municipal Corporation seized 7199 kg plastic bags during action in the year 2021-22 and recovered a fine of Rs 39 lakh from the offenders.
The members of NDS carried out this operation from April 1 2021 to March 31 2022 under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B. According to the information given on the occasion of World Earth Day, 3233 kg of plastic was seized in January 2022. In this financial year, 14,123 shops have been inspected by the Municipal Corporation and 753 cases have been registered.
It may be recalled that the Maharashtra and the Central Government have banned the use of plastic bags. According to Virsen Tambe, chief of the NDS, in April 2021, 114 kg of plastic was seized after inspecting 504 shops and collected a fine of Rs 1 lakh. In May 2021, 149 shops were inspected and a fine of Rs 15,000 was collected. In June 2021, 504 shops were inspected and 112 kg of plastic was confiscated and a fine of Rs 90,000 was imposed.
In July 2021, 66 kg of plastic was confiscated and a fine of Rs 1.10 lakh was collected. In August 2021, 1320 shops were inspected and 542 kg plastic was seized and a fine of Rs 2.80 lakh was imposed. In September, 1366 kg plastic was seized after inspecting 1514 shops and a fine of Rs 3.90 lakh was recovered. In October, 1771 shops were inspected and 352 kg of plastic was seized and a fine of Rs 5.40 lakh was recovered, said the NDS chief.
In November, the Nuisance Detection Squad inspected 1753 shops and seized 387 kg of plastic and collected a fine of Rs 6.15 lakh. In December, 1702 shops were searched and 353 kg of plastic was seized and a fine of Rs 5.50 lakh was recovered. In January 2022, the team inspected 1402 shops and seized 3233 kg of plastic. In February, 259 kg plastic was seized after inspecting 1330 shops and a fine of Rs 3.39 lakh was recovered. In March, the NDS squad inspected 1486 shops and seized 385 kg plastic and collected a fine of Rs 4.35 lakh.
The NMC’s NDS found not only roadside vegetable, fruit and flower vendors, even grocery shops openly provided carry bags of banned plastic to their customers. Despite bans, city markets are flooded with plastic carry bags.
