Panjim: Those going out shopping in Panjim city, should now carry bio-degradable bags as plastic carry bags are banned in the city. The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has banned use of plastic carry bags in the city, those violating the rule, will be fined with a heavy penalty. The corporation will try and make available alternatives in form of cloth, jute, paper and other forms of beg to the municipal market vendors, while the establishments are already been asked to go for bio-degradable bags.
An awareness rally has been organized on Tuesday morning on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, while in the afternoon, corporators and staffers will visit the commercial establishment and collect plastic waste and distribute bio-degradable bags. Speaking to HERALD, CCP Commissioner IAS Ajit Roy said the decision to ban use of plastic carry bags was taken during council meeting last month. “But, we decided to implement it from October 2. From last one month, we have been holding awareness meet with the establishments, wherein they are told to go for alternatives,” he said.
He said on Monday, all the corporators, staffers and workers, personally visited the residential areas and collected plastic waste as much as they can. “This was to show the residents the seriousness of the issue. Plastic is very much harmful for the environment,” he said. “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,” Roy said. Roy said that Corporation will be imposing hefty fines on the violators. “Both the user and distributer will be fined,” he said. The use of plastic below 40 microns is currently banned in the city.
