Pune officials collect Rs 3.69 lakh in fine on first day of Maharashtra plastic ban

June 23 (AZINS) On the first day of statewide plastic ban in Maharashtra, civic officials in Pune collected a fine of Rs 3.69 lakh by seizing over 8,000 kilograms of plastic and thermocol on Saturday. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has stated that the action in the first phase is against vendors while customers will be let off after warning for the use of plastic.

As Maharashtra became the first state in the country to ban the use of plastic and thermocol, the civic administration carried out actions in various parts of the city on the first day of the enforcement. On Saturday, teams of solid waste management of PMC carried out action at 73 locations.

Speaking about the action, Suresh Jagtap, head of solid waste management cell of PMC said, "We have formed different teams consisting 170 personnel. They went to commercial vendors posing as customers and asked to give goods in plastic bags. Those vendors who used plastic bags were prosecuted."

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The maximum action was witnessed in Shivajinagar, which is the heart of the city where total 11 cases were registered against vendors.

As the action began against the vendors where fine of Rs 5,000 was being collected, some shopkeepers in Sinhgad road, Satara road, Kothrud, Vadgaon Sheri area closed down their shops in protest of the action.

Sachin Nivangune, president of Pune district retailers association said, "We are not against the ban but we are protesting against the action by the PMC. The officials are harassing the vendors and forcefully collecting fine from them."

Meanwhile, the civic administration has made it clear that the action will continue.