BMC to reduce plastic fine to Rs 200

Mumbai: In a relief to Mumbaikars, they might not have to shell out a steep penalty for using banned plastic after June 23. Concerned over the fact that people will not pay a huge fine, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to reduce the minimum penalty from Rs 5,000 to only Rs 200.

Under the plastic ban, a penalty of Rs 5,000 is charged for the first offence, whereas Rs 10,000 collected for the second. However, according to civic officials, the BMC is facing problems in collecting fine from small vendors and hawkers. Their denial to pay fine is leading to law and order problems, due to which plastic ban cannot be implemented effectively. Hence it has been decided to reduce the fine.

“As people are prone to use plastic bags in large numbers, it will create dispute if they are fined Rs 5,000 from the beginning only. Hence, it has been decided to reduce the fine initially,” said a senior civic official.

For this, the BMC has classified vendors into four categories – hawkers and small vendors; grocery goods and small retailers; milk, curd, fruit juice, tea-coffee sellers and restaurants, shops in malls etc – according to their profession.

The state government has declared a fine of Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively for first and second time offence. A third-time offender will be fined Rs 25,000 and three months imprisonment.

The government later decided to give extension up to June 23 to allow people disposing the banned plastic items. “The proposal to reduce the fine has been submitted to the civic law committee. After its approval, the new rates will be applicable after June 23,” said the official.