Raids resumed in Ponda to implement ban on plastic

PONDA: Shop keepers in the Ponda municipal market were taken by surprise on Monday, as authorities cracked the whip against those traders handing out plastic carry bags below 40 microns.
Ponda deputy collector and sub divisional officer (SDO) Johnson Fernandes led the raids, in which low density carry bags were confiscated. In all, 55 cases were booked and fines of Rs 20,200 were imposed by the team.
Recently, the Goa State Pollution Control Board announced an enforcement of the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. Under it, traders and consumers found selling and using unlabelled plastic carry bags below 40 microns have been warned of stiff penalties, including imprisonment up to one month or fine up to 5,000, or both.
The joint drive was conducted by Ponda SDO along with mamlatdar Amul Gaonkar, joint mamlatdars and the Ponda Municipal Council.
After the drive, Fernandes said similar raids would continued throughout the Ponda taluka. "The purpose of the raids was not only to penalize the offenders, but also to send a strong message to the public not to use plastic bags anymore. It becomes an eyesore when littered around and also has varied implications on the environment," the sub-divisional officer said. tnn