Taking cue from Mumbai, Ggn to go the extra mile for plastic ban
GURUGRAM: Even though the usage of polythene was officially been banned in the Millennium City more than two years ago, unofficialli, it is still being used in the large scale.
Now, taking a cue from the strict stance taken by the authorities in the state of Mumbai, where usage of plastic is absolutely banned, Gurugram authorities have also begun taking proactive steps.
In coordination with the district court, the Gurugram administration has started their work towards making Gurgram a plastic-free city in a stepwise manner.
In July, the sessions court got involved in the environment-friendly process and committed to making Sector-14 and Sector-15 a plastic free zone.
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) also has formed a special team to restrict the usage of plastic and is levying fines on shopkeepers who use plastic bags below 50 micron in size.
In one of the most difficult tasks being undertaken by the municipal body, a decision has been taken to make Sadar Bazaar the plastic-free zone.
Being the oldest market in the city, there are lot of market owners who are use polythene in Sadar Bazar. There is also a large wholesale vegetable market (mandi) in the area where polythene is still preferred not only by vendors but by thousands of buyers.
To deal with the enormous task, the MCG first intends to hold various sessions, explaining to the shopkeepers and even the buyers of the detrimental consequences of using the plastic following which it plans to take action.
“It is okay to levy fine the hardworking shopkeepers and add to the government exchequer. But does the public agency have enough options and solutions? They should first create a mechanism where there are alternatives for plastic. As of now, they are just levying fines,” said Om Prakash one of the shopkeepers in the city.
There are challenges which galore as most of the shopkeepers as well as the buyers still vouch for the polythene because of it being reasonable and widely available.