the goan I network
MARGAO
Margao Municipal Council’s banners on plastic ban with a warning to levy a fine of Rs 5,000 penalty on violators were prominently displayed at the week-long Purumentachem fest, starting from Sunday.
There was, however, no enforcement of the order banning the use of plastic carry bags at the fair, as a result of which the ban was violated with rampant impunity.
When The Goan tried to find out whether any attempt was made by the Municipal officials to implement the plastic ban in both letter and spirit, there was no one around to throw light whether any officials were deputed to enforce the ban.
When asked by The Goan whether any fines were imposed by the market inspectors, a market inspector said enforcement of the ban falls in the domain of the municipal sanitary section.
However, when an official of the sanitary section was asked, he maintained that the issue is being handled by the municipal technical section.
An engineer, however, said he will resume duties only on Monday and would find out how to go about the job.
Interestingly, neither Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai nor Chief Officer Sidhivinayak Naik could shed light on the enforcement of the plastic ban at the Purumentachem fest. The duo, however, promised action from Monday, pointing out that curtains of the week-long fair will come down only next Sunday.
In the past, too, the Margao Municipal Council had put up banners at the Purumentachem fest banning the use of plastic bags, but in vain. The latest initiative was taken by the MMC Chairperson against the backdrop of the eight-day long fire and smoke at Sonsodo and the failure of the civic body to send segregated waste to the dumping site.
