Meeting for banning plastics/polythene bags
Mayor R. Venkatachalam (third from right), Commissioner P. Muthuveeran (second right) and Deputy Commissioner V. Shantha (right) along with chairpersons of various committees taking a pledge to fight against plastic menace on Saturday.Coimbatore Corporation on Saturday conducted a meeting of traders, merchants, public and manufacturers of plastics to sensitise them to the need for banning plastics/polythene bags. The ban would come into effect from April 1.Mayor R. Venkatachalam, Deputy Mayor N. Karthik, Corporation Commissioner P. Muthuveeran, Deputy Commissioner V. Shantha, Corporation Health Officer in-charge P. Aruna and others addressed the participants. The meeting was attended by the stake-holders – councillors, representatives of residential welfare associations, women self-help groups, hoteliers associations, grocery merchants associations, users of plastics and manufacturers.Representatives from Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore G. Soundarrajan and Bhaskar and K. Kalidas of OSAI, a non-governmental association involved in environmental conservation and protection activities, also addressed the participants.
Commissioner Mr. Muthuveeran said the Corporation would impose a total ban on use of plastics/polythene bags from April 1 and it would be preceded with a fortnight-long campaign to sensitise the people and the merchant community. The participants were informed that plastics/polythene bags with less than 20 microns thickness would face an immediate ban and advised not to use plastic bags even if they were above 20 microns.These plastic bags on recycling would come down to less than 20 microns.Mayor R. Venkatachalam and Mr. Muthuveeran said street-by-street and door-to-door campaign would be conducted to sensitise the public to the need to avoid plastics/polythene bags.
Mr. Muthuveeran said Deputy Commissioner Shantha would be the enforcement officer and would be assisted by Corporation Health Officer P. Aruna.Sanitary inspectors would be the enforcement officers at the ward-level and the user found carrying a plastic bag would be fined Rs. 100 while the retailer would be fined Rs. 750 and a whole sale merchant would be fined Rs. 5,000. A notification to this effect would be issued in a couple of days.OSAI K. Kalidas explained the ill-effects of plastics/polythene bags and pointed out that heaps of plastics often resulted in clogging of drainage and storm water drains. The meeting highlighted the alternatives available to plastic bags such as paper bags at Re. 1 and cloth bag at Rs. 5 and other low cost options.
