Team Herald
PANJIM: With the plastic ban coming into force in the Capital, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Tuesday warned general citizens and shopkeepers that they will attract a fine of Rs 5,000 if found using plastic bags.
The CCP also informed the ban will be strictly enforced from Wednesday and that shopkeepers in the city will not be allowed to give plastic bags to their customers neither will the customers be allowed to use plastic bags.
“Business establishments as well as general citizens will have to stay away from all types of plastic to ensure that they are not fined by CCP. CCP Commissioner has also formed a special squad comprising 5 inspectors to keep a check on the use of plastic bags,” CCP officials said
CCP said, “Thousands of cloth bags have been distributed by the CCP to residents since Monday. CCP has also started a drive to remove encroachments from footpaths in the city.”
The corporation informed that it will try and make available alternatives in form of cloth, jute, paper and other bags to the municipal market vendors, while the establishments have already been asked to go for bio-degradable bags.
An awareness rally was organized on Tuesday morning on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, while in the afternoon corporators and staffers visited the commercial establishments, collected plastic waste and distributed bio-degradable bags.
“We want to send out a message that this is our city and we have to make it plastic-free. We have to reduce the use of plastic and ban on plastic carry bags is one such move. The corporation will be imposing hefty fines on the violators. Both the user and distributer will be fined,” warned CCP Commissioner Ajit Roy.
The state has banned the use of plastic bags below 40 microns under the Goa Biodegradable Garbage (Controlled) Act 1996. The government had also made it mandatory for shopkeepers and vendors to register themselves to provide plastic bags under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
