Plastic Ban in Maharashtra: BMC Collects 120 Tonnes of Banned Polythene in Mumbai
The banned plastic was collected more from Vileparle-Andheri-Jogeshwari areas; approximately 45 tonnes of plastic were collected from these areas alone.
Mumbai, May 22: After the Maharashtra state government implemented statewide plastic ban from April month onwards, the Mumbai civic body has collected 120 tonnes of prohibited plastic so far. According to the data available with the Municipal Corporation, the banned plastic was collected more from Vileparle-Andheri-Jogeshwari areas; approximately 45 tonnes of plastic trash were collected from these areas alone. From Byculla in the South Mumbai (SoBo) area, about 34 tonnes of plastic were collected. Similarly, from Bandra- Santacruz west regions, BMC workers collected about 16 tonnes of plastic.
In Mumbai, there are 24 civic wards in total. As per sources from BMC's designated plastic collection centres in few of these wards, it was reported that around 12 tonnes of plastic were collected. While by using the helpline number, BMC managed to raise 108 tonnes of plastic. The corporation started a toll-free helpline number recently for citizens of Mumbai (1800-222-357) to address the queries related to prohibited plastic and also to assist them where they can deposit their plastic bags for recycling. However, Mumbaikars have not used the helpline number much.
The reports added in last 19 days, after the helpline number was opened up for public, only 143 people have called up. Shockingly from Goregaon, Malad and Bhandup-Kanjurmarg divisions of Mumbai after April 10 and 27, no call on was made on the helpline number. Therefore, Kiran Dighavkar -the Assistant Commissioner of BMC (plastic management) appealed to the citizens to use the helpline number more and has urged them to reduce the use of plastic.
The state government has imposed a blanket ban on all types of plastic bags usage. But plastic used for mineral water, milk pouches and poly ethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles used to store cold-drinks have been exempted from this ban. Also, to encourage people to give plastic for recycling, the state government has fixed a refundable recycling charge of Rs. 2 on these PET bottles.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2018 11:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).