Environment dept to fine use of plastic bags

Kolkata, May 30 The Environment Department has empowered the 113 civic bodies and 341 block-level offices of the state with the right to impose fine on those who use plastic carry bags that fall below the permissible standards of 40 microns.

This is the first time the civic bodies have come up with this decision.

“Any individual carrying a polythene bag below 40 microns will have to pay a fine of Rs 50 and the shopkeepers who use plastic bags will be penalised a sum of Rs 500 by the civic body,” said Debal Roy, a senior officer

of the Pollution Control Board.

Also, a separate office chamber will be opened in the civic body headquarters to receive complaints regarding environmental matters within a couple of months, added Roy.

The Kalyani municipality was the first to initiate

this environment-friendly step.

“We realised that awareness campaign was not the only way to prevent the use of hazardous polythene bags. Hence, we decided to impose fines on customers and shopkeepers using them,” says Shantanu Jha, chairman of Kalyani Municipality.

“Bengal is perhaps the only state which did not allow the civic body from imposing fines for using polythene bags,” said Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.

But the system of imposing fines may run into a roadblock, fears the mayor.

“In a populous city like Kolkata, it is difficult to implement the system of fines as there are not enough inspectors to monitor the situation,” the mayor added.

Earlier, the KMC had taken the initiative to launch the anti-plastic drive but the enthusiasm faded soon.