MARGAO, FEB 20
After dragging its feet for the last 20 days, the Margao Municipal Council on Friday finally cracked a whip against sale of plastic carry bags in the Commercial Capital as part of its drive to make the City plastic free.
Municipal inspectors went around the market this morning and inspected sweet marts and small establishments and seized plastic carry bags stored from the premises.
As many as 100 commercial establishments were searched and around 5000 plastic bags were confiscated in the drive.
The Municipal team was headed by Market Inspectors Dulcina Saldanha, Mohan Arlekar and Anil Shirodkar, who along with Civic workers conducted raids on the establishments since morning.
Incidentally, the team, for reasons best known to them, avoided the New Market, where the Civic officials are expecting resistance to the plastic free drive.
Incidentally, the Municipal team targeted the sweet marts and small business establishments instead of the big business houses. Municipal Inspectors, however, said that the drive has just begun and disclosed plans to conduct search of each and every establishment in the city.
Municipal Inspector Anil Shirodkar said the traders were co-operative with the Civic officials in the implementation of the ban on plastic bags. In fact, traders maintained that they are keen to switch over to paper bag but have been forced to hang on due to pressure from the customers.
He said the drive will be carried out vigorously from Monday to ensure that the city is made plastic free.
