Form:Times of India

Navi Mumbai: The intermittent civic campaigns since the enactment of the state law in 2006-2007 has been able to do little to rid the city of the plastic waste at over 12%, which is almost equivalent to the recyclable coconut green waste.

The issue of procuring non-recyclable micron plastic which is clogging the landfill sites was picked up by the civic chief Tukaram Mundhe.

The drive held over the last two months collected close to Rs 5 lakh as penalty in the two zones with Zone II collecting more fines. But the civic body also claimed haplessness about the violation.

Many shopkeepers continue to pack goods in plastic carry bags of 50 microns or less that is in violation of environment law and is punishable under Maharashtra plastic carry bags (manufacture and uses amendment) rules, 2007.

"We have written to the pollution control department regarding the supply from Vapi that should be checked. We are also trying to find out the distributor, but shopkeepers are reticent to speak out,'' said additional municipal corporation, Ankush Chavan.
Also, hawkers are unable to pay the penalty, which as a first offence is Rs 5000 that increases on successive counts.

Chavan said, "We have trained 38 self-help groups to make paper bags. They wanted to make and sell them too but could not afford to pay the steep rent of workshop premises."
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