Vigorous Campaign Against Plastics
A banner with an anti-plastics message being released by Mayor R. Venkatachalam (second left) and Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner V.K. Shanmugham (left) at the Corporation office on Thursday. The Coimbatore Corporation is set to launch a vigorous campaign against plastics, in the run-up to the ban that it proposes to enforce from April 23. The Corporation said on Thursday that it had 40,000 pamphlets, 1,200 posters, 120 banners and other campaign materials.Earlier, the Corporation had announced that the ban would take effect on April 14. But, Mayor R. Venkatachalam said recently that after providing a month’s time for campaign and compliance since the date of issuing of a notification, the ban would take effect on April 23. The Corporation said on Thursday that it had 40,000 pamphlets, 1,200 posters, 120 banners and other campaign materials.
The Mayor and Corporation Commissioner V.K. Shanmugham began on Thursday the distribution of these among the four zones of the Corporation. Deputy Commissioner V. Shantha, City Health Officer P. Thangaraj and Chairman of the Council Standing Committee on Health P. Nachimuthu were present. A press release from the Commissioner said the banners and posters would be put up at public places such as railway stations, bus stands, Uzhavar Sandhais, shopping complexes, along main roads and junctions and street corners.
These would also be displayed at the Corporation’s zone offices, ward offices, health centres and pharmacies. The handbills that would be distributed among various sections of the public warned of the ill-effects of plastics on the environment and the city’s infrastructure such as drainage lines. It also mentioned that a fine of Rs.5,000 would be imposed on manufactures, Rs.2,500 on stockists, Rs.750 on retailers and Rs.100 on users if they defied the ban on manufacture, sale and use of plastics.
The handbills also posed questions to the public such as “Is it not possible for us to live without plastics?” Instructions were being issued to Assistant Commissioners at the four zone offices, Zonal Sanitary Officers and Health Inspectors to take the required steps to ensure that the city was turned plastics-free.
