NEW DELHI: On day one of the complete ban introduced on single-use plastic (SUP) in the city, many people were seen violating the rule on Friday. Allowing a brief window to settle in, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that warning notices will be issued to the violators till July 10 after which penal action will be taken against them.
The environment department earlier this month said that any unit found manufacturing, distributing or selling SUP items will be sealed after the first week of July. A total of 48 enforcement teams have been deployed on ground to inspect such units.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has constituted 15 teams and the revenue department deployed 33 teams to crack down on the violators. “Warning notices will be issued to those who violate the SUP ban till July 10 and after that penal action will be taken against them. Along with this, a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh or a jail term up to five years under the Environment Protection Act will be imposed on violators,” said the minister.
The DPCC officials said that data is yet to be compiled of the units inspected and notices issued. “Even after carrying out extensive awareness drives to spread awareness and issuing notices to units to ensure zero inventory of SUP items by June 30, many are yet to phase out their stock and have requested for more time to comply with it,” said a senior DPCC official.
In order to promote alternatives to SUP, the government organised a three-day fair which started on July 1 at the Thyagraj Stadium. Many businesses, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers displayed alternatives to single-use plastic in the event.
“The fair will provide a platform for companies, start-ups and self-help groups to produce and promote other alternatives of SUP, which is a major environmental hazard. A round table conference will be organised with all the stakeholders on July 3. We are coming up with a new start up policy for the same and those interested can join in through this fair,” said Rai.
As per government data, the national capital generates approximately 664 tonnes per day (TPD) of plastic waste. Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which has been tasked with enforcing the ban in markets and roadsides, on Friday seized 689.01 kg of plastic items and issued 368 challans in its jurisdiction for the violation of the ban.
“A total of 125 enforcement teams have been constituted at zonal level to eliminate stocking, sale and usage of banned items. Teams are also spreading awareness among the public where the usage of plastic bags is the highest and difficult to eliminate as well,” said a senior MCD official.
Violators of ban to be punished after
July 10 Rs 1 lakh fine or Upto 5 year’s jail term
MCD keeping check 689.01 kg of plastic seized
368 challans issued
125 teams deployed to eliminate stocking, sale and usage of plastic
664 tonnes per day (TPD) of plastic waste generated in Delhi
‘No plastic’ posters outside city shops
New Delhi: With a ban on single-use plastic coming into effect from Friday, ‘no plastic’ posters were seen outside shops in major markets in Delhi including Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar and Palika Bazaar, and most shopkeepers urged people to use alternatives. A few shopkeepers were, however, seen hesitantly selling items in polythene bags as they were still left with some stock, while traders’ bodies took rounds of the Sarojini Nagar market at regular intervals to ensure the protocol is followed.
Many were seen without the trademark white Sarojini Nagar polythene bag, but polythene bags were lying on the roads and roadside eateries were still serving food in plastic plates. Shops in the Sarojini Nagar market had put up laminated posters pronouncing “Time to say no to plastic -- Fine upto one lakh”.
“We have put up posters and distributed circulars. We also sent WhatsApp messages to all the shopkeepers to not use single-use plastic. We are also making rounds in the markets,” said Ashok Randhawa, the president of Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Traders Association.