As Maharashtra plastic ban enters day 3, focus on eateries, shopkeepers

BMC intensified its crackdown on retailers in Mumbai who have been using plastic items despite the statewide ban imposed by Maharashtra on Saturday.

Intensifying their crackdown against retail shops of the statewide plastic ban, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inspectors on Sunday turned their attention to Chembur and a Ghatkopar mall.

A ban on plastic has forced resident at Koperkhairne in Navi Mumbai. (Bachchan Kumar/HT File Photo)

They collected ₹3.5 lakh in fines from 72 shops and confiscated 591.67kg of plastic from the two locations. Five of the offenders who refused to pay fine were issued challans. The 250 inspectors, who are enforcing the ban, visited 867 shops.

The BMC said individuals will be targeted from Monday.

Nidhi Chaudhari, deputy municipal commissioner, in charge of implementing the ban, said, “On Sunday, inspectors were directed to focus on malls and shopkeepers because they use plastic in bulk and have had enough time to prepare for the ban. If they encountered hawkers and citizens with the banned items, they were asked to explain the ban and take away the plastic item, but not fine them.”

The BMC has appointed 250 inspectors from its various departments. They are divided into 24 teams. Sunday’s eight-hour long inspection drive ended around 5.30pm.

The BMC has advised its inspectors to not insist shopkeepers to pay fine. The inspectors were accompanied by a representative from a retailer’s association to avoid confusion about the fine.

Kishor Kulkarni, secretary of the Chembur Merchants’ Association, said he strung along with the inspectors to avoid arguments and confusion.

However, even two days after the ban, citizens and retailers are scratching their head over what single-use plastic products are illegal. Viren Shah, president of the Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA), said, “On Sunday, inspectors fined shopkeepers for kulfi wrappers and popcorn tubs at a Ghatkopar mall. They did not know if those items were banned. Similarly, many inspectors were no less confused.”

BMC’s Chaudhari clarified that popcorn tubs are also banned as they are single-use plastic items.