NEW DELHI: Ten days after the complete ban on Single-Use Plastic (SUP) came into effect, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Monday issued closure directions to 14 units in Narela and Bawana Industrial areas on the first day of the crackdown on those violating the ban, said officials.
According to the officials, 14 units have been issued closure notices that were found manufacturing polythene bags less than 75 microns or plastic packaging material less than 50 microns in violation of Plastic Waste Management Rules.
“Also, the electricity distributor in the area has been directed to cut off the supply of these 14 units so that they are not able to function,” said a senior DPCC official. The city pollution watchdog has also imposed an Environmental Compensation Cess of a total of Rs 1.22 crores on the defaulting units.
Besides DPCC, urban local bodies and the revenue department have been running a drive against units not complying with the ban. As per a government data, on Monday, a total of 729 units were inspected by various agencies, of which 389 were found to be defaulting. A total of 119 challans were issued with a penalty of Rs 1, 23,65,000 levied on the violators. The agencies seized 16359.6 kg of plastic.
“Between July 1 and July 9, a total of 4,303 units were inspected, of which 2,095 were found violating the norm. While 343 challans were issued, a penalty of Rs 1,36,75,500 was levied on violators. Of the total penalty imposed, 4,00,000 has been recovered so far,” the official said.
The DPCC ahead of the ban said that it will seal units not complying with the ban in the week following it comes into effect. On June 30, Environment minister Gopal Rai said that the government will be lenient in the initially 10 days of the ban after which the department will start imposing penalties.
The DPCC started its crackdown against those units still having SUP inventory and distributing the same on Monday. Besides industrial units, during its drive in the markets/commercial establishments the pollution-control panel inspected 58 units, out of which 26 units were found to be violating the ban.
“Environmental Compensation of Rs 1.3 lakhs was imposed against these 26 units,” the official said.