HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is monitoring and levying fines on usage of plastic of less than 50 microns. It has slapped fines on 2,432 vendors and levied a penalty amount of `21.51 lakh. The veterinary section is also regulating the usage of plastic covers in chicken and mutton stalls. It has levied a fine on 61 vendors and realised penal amount of `14,000.
GHMC commissioner, B Janardhan Reddy, as a part of routine inspection, inspected a chicken centre at Jawaharnagar in Yousufguda circle and gave instructions to a vendor to advice customers and encourage them to use tiffin boxes to carry items rather than plastic bags. In order to bring awareness among public, they should ensure that a board is erected in each and every shop to avoid the usage of plastic bags.
In this connection, commissioner directed all the DCs, AMOHs and veterinary staff to follow the instructions and to start an awareness programme on the same up to October 2. All SFAs, Jawans, workers and staff should be sensitised through Gandhigiri methods and the shops, vegetable vendors, chicken, mutton stalls to refrain them selling from their products in less than 50 microns plastic covers.
One single polythene cover is enough to choke sewer manholes and storm water drains that results flooding of roads and streets and also endanger grazing cattle. If each of the 20 lakh households in GHMC limit carry daily purchase of vegetables by banned (less than 50 micron) plastic covers daily, Hyderabad officials will have a tough task of dealing with 1.4 crore covers per week and 73 crore covers per annum. These covers are less than 50 microns and does not have recycling value and hence remain in our city environs itself thereby endangering the citizens.The GHMC already banned plastic covers below 50 microns and is planning to strictly implement the usage of plastic in the coming days to make pollution free environment in near future.