Team Herald
PANJIM: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) will not just impose the ban on single-use-plastic from July 1, as per the directives received from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change but will also provide an alternative solution that will help reduce the use of plastic,” said Dylan Fernandes, Executive Manager, Solid Waste Management section of the CCP.
“We cannot ban plastic completely unless we have a concrete alternative solution for its substitute. But we can always come up with a solution that although will not impose a complete ban but at least will help reduce the usage of plastic,” he added.
From Friday, the ban will be imposed on the plastic products such as plastic sticks, earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, polystyrene (thermocol decoration, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, stirrers, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, plastic flags and other such single-use plastic products which are below 75 microns in thickness and also on the plastic or PVC banners which are less than 100 microns in thickness.
“The CCP has decided to remain lenient in the initial phase since many of the shopkeepers must have purchased the stock in bulk(such as tetra-pack having a plastic straw attached to it) and it is difficult to sell out the stock within the short notice. We will go easy on them for the initial period of two or three months till they exhaust their previous stock. The CCP will then start keeping a strict vigil on those who violate the law.”
Adding he said, “Initially, the fine of Rs 500 will be imposed on the violators which may get extended up to Rs 5000 depending on the violation count.”
As per Central notification, by December 31, 2022, only plastic bags of 120-micron thickness will be permitted.