Raipur Municipal Corporation teams on Friday carried out a special drive in all 70 wards of the city and collected 587 sacks of polythene carry bags and sent it to Sarona trenching ground, officials said.
Chhattisgarh has banned use, sale, production and transportation of polythene carry bags from January 1, 2015. On directions of the Municipal Commissioner Avneesh Sharan, the drive was carried out by Raipur Municipal Corporation health department and zonal offices. The teams collected plastic carry bags littered here and there from ground and roads besides shopkeepers and traders.
The officials said that as many as 60 sacks of plastic carry bags were collected in zone 1, 100 in zone 2, 110 in zone 3, 57 in zone 4, 70 in zone 5, 72 in zone 6, 41 in zone 7 and 77 sacks in zone 8. The teams seized 12 kg of polythene carry bags from shopkeepers in Kanhaiyalal Bazari ward and also slapped fine of Rs2000 on two hotels for not keeping dustbins.
The teams inspected hotels, retails, road side vendors, stalls and eateries. Although they seized the plastic carry bags, they issued warnings to them and said that legal action will be taken if they are found using polythene bags. Sharan has directed the RMC health officer Dr Amrit Chopra and all zone commissioners to ensure collection of plastic carry bags on regular basis and send it separately to Sarona trenching ground.
He said that the RMC should strictly enforce the ban on the plastic carry bags in accordance with the directives issued by the State Government. Sharan has also appealed the people to cooperate and discard plastic carry bags.