BMC awaiting state directive on plastic ban

Mumbai: Three days after the plastic ban came into existence in Maharashtra, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is still clueless about its implementation as it is yet to receive any notification from the state government in this regard. Only after getting directives from the state government, will we be able to devise our plan of action to implement the ban, said civic officials.

The state cabinet on Thursday approved the environment department’s proposal to ban plastic carry bags and certain other plastic items in Maharashtra. The local civic bodies will be the implementing authorities of the ban, the state officials had said. 

However, despite this, there has been no intimation from the state government to civic bodies so far. The ban came into existence from March 18 on the occasion of Gudi Padva.

“The BMC is yet to get any notification from the government regarding the ban on plastic. We are awaiting the same,” said a senior civic official. However, the civic officials are planning to implement the ban on plastic carry bags from municipal markets in the city.

“There are more than 90 municipal markets in the city. We are planning to start the ban on plastic carry bags from these markets. The idea is to get women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs) to provide cloth or jute bags at these markets which would come at a cost,” said deputy municipal commissioner Nidhi Choudhary.

The BMC is also mulling over starting public awareness campaigns in BMC schools about plastic ban.