₹1 cr reportedly collected in Bengaluru for violating this rule since Sep 2019

On Saturday, the BBMP seized 122.3 kg of single use plastic from 98 locations in the city and ₹77,100 was collected on the same day as fine.

A huge amount worth ₹1. 14 crores was collected as fine by Bengaluru's civic body - the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) - for violating the single-use plastic rule in the city, reported Deccan Herald. The report also said that the fine was collected between September 2019 and June 2022.

BBMP intensified the blanket ban on single use plastic in Bengaluru (HT File)

After the Indian government announced a blanket ban on all single use plastic items from July 1, the civic body has intensified the implementation across the city. It is also reported that on Saturday alone, the BBMP seized 122.3 kg of single use plastic from 98 locations in the city and ₹77,100 was collected on the same day as fine. The violators include manufacturers, retailers and small-scale business vendors who are dependent on single use plastic for their daily trade.

Polymer scientist Vijay G Habbu on Saturday told news agency PTI that the civic bodies should start encouraging scrap dealers in cities to purchase plastics, directly from homes. He said that the recycling of plastic will help to promote a circular economy where a plastic product which is viable for reusing gets recycled.

He also said that the Indian government has announced a list of 19 items which are going to face a strict ban. These 19 items include, earbuds with plastic sticks, candy and ice-cream sticks, Thermocol for decoration, plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron and stirrers.

The Karnataka government first banned single use plastic in March 2016 and ordered BBMP to implement the ban.

Earlier in 2019, Jayanagara MLA Sowmya Reddy had alleged that the single use plastic was being transported from other states, hence the implementation turned out to be a tough task. “We are doing our best to ensure manufacturers are stopped too. Some of these banned items come from other states through the borders. Request Hon'ble Prime Minister Sri @narendramodi ji to implement plastic ban in the whole country, so that we can have clean cities and country(Sic)” she wrote in 2019, taking to social media