MARGAO
The much-awaited Margao Municipal Council’s anti-plastic drive in the commercial capital started on a “challaning” note as teams of municipal workers with police protection went about levying fines on traders using 50 micron size plastic bags without registration with the civic body and payment of the Rs 48,000 fee.
On day one of the two-day drive, the municipality enriched its coffers by Rs 51,000 as municipal officers booked around 57 cases against the erring traders. The only silver lining being that the raiding teams did not come across the banned plastic bags below 50 micron size, barring a couple of odd cases.
Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes told the media that the two-day anti-plastic drive got off to an encouraging start, saying it will be carried out on Tuesday as well and added that an extensive drive will be undertaken for a period of one month, beginning from today.
“Reports from the teams drafted for the special purpose revealed that the fines were imposed on traders selling the 50 micron size plastics without registration with the civic body. The rules are very clear that the municipality is empowered to impose a penalty on any trader for handling such plastic without being registered with the civic body even after giving proper notice to all the vendors,” Johnson said.
Four different teams were drafted to crack a whip against erring traders at the SGPDA market, New Market, Gandhi Market and the Aquem side of the city to enforce the rules.
One of the team members told The Goan that most of the traders have already disposed of the plastic bags below 50 micron size, adding that there may be odd instances of such plastic bags being used in the market and by small time vendors, including the poders.
While the rules mandate the MMC to impose a fine of Rs 5000, the municipal teams were authorized by the CO to levy a fine of minimum Rs 500 and maximum Rs 2000.
