Government will allot Rs 5 crore to civic body to introduce cotton bags

Mumbai: While giving assurances in the legislative assembly to implement the plastic ban effectively across the state, environment minister Ramdas Kadam said the government would introduce cotton bags in the market on a large scale and will allot Rs 5 crore to BMC for it. 

While replying to the budgetary demands of the environment department, Mr Kadam told the assembly that, “It is the need of hour to control the use of plastics as 1,100 metric tons of plastic waste gets created every day across the state. Cows and other animals eat plastic bags and suffer a lot. The sea has been polluted and during monsoons, Mumbai is affected due to water logging. So we have banned all types of plastic bags irrespective of the thickness. 

“We have given power tothe sarpanch, the zilla parishad president, MLAs, MPs, talathis, tahshildars, collectors and other officials to implement the ban. Now they can also impose the fine if orders are flouted.”

Mr Kadam has met the environment department officials and asked them to issue directions to all local bodies to implement the ban immediately.