GHMC raids 30 Numaish stalls, seizes plastic bags and imposes fine

HYDERABAD: In a crackdown on use of plastic bags below 50 microns, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials on Tuesday conducted raids across 30 circles in the city including the ongoing 78th All India Industrial Exhibition (Numaish) at Nampally.
The officials seized hundreds of kilograms of banned plastic bags and levied fines on violators.The raids were conducted by the GHMC a day after TOI in its columns on January 31 reported the rampant use of plastic covers at Numaish.
Speaking to TOI, B Manohar Rao, GHMC additional commissioner, Swachh Bharat Mission said, “We conducted a special drive on Tuesday morning between 10.30-11.30am and raided 190 shops across 30 circles. During the raids, the teams seized 518 kilograms of plastic bags below 50 microns of thickness and collected a total fine of ?2.40 lakh from the violators. Highest amount of ?50,000 was collected from Rajendra Nagar circle.”

The teams which conducted the raids comprised of GHMC deputy commissioner, medical officer and assistant medical officer. “An amount of ?3,800 was collected after conducting sudden inspections at 30 stalls at Numaish,” said Rao.
Plastic bags below 50 microns were banned in the city in June 2016. Being non-biodegradable, these plastic covers contribute majorly in choking the drains, in addition to affecting the environment adversely.
The GHMC has been carrying out awareness campaigns and random inspections to discourage use of such plastic bags. During awareness drives, the focus is on mutton and chicken shops. However, despite GHMC’s efforts to prevent use of plastic bags, the polythene covers below 50 microns are being openly used by stall owners at Numaish.