D-Mart and Big Bazaar violate Maha plastic ban norm in Pune, civic body to take action
PMC junior city engineer Monica Walujkar said that the 100 per cent compostable bags used by Big Bazaar and D-Mart were in violation of the statewide plastic ban norms
The solid waste management department of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to take action against large retailers like Big Bazaar and D-Mart for violating the plastic ban guidelines in the state.
Monica Walujkar, junior city engineer, PMC solid waste management department said that the 100 per cent compostable bags being used by these retailers were in violation of the norms.
All the sanitary inspectors and deputy sanitary inspectors in every ward have already been given instructions to take action against everyone violating the norms, she said.
On April 25, Suresh Jagtap, additional municipal commissioner solid waste management department, PMC, had chaired a meeting with all the officials concerned along with the sanitary inspectors and deputy sanitary inspectors of respective wards where Jagtap gave standing instruction to take action against all those who violated the norms.
Walujkar said, “As per the guidelines of the plastic ban, these 100 per cent compostable bags can only be used in nursery gardens. If these bags are used for any other purpose, it will be considered as the violation of plastic ban.”
A Big Bazaar official on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to media said, “Following the guidelines of a statewide plastic ban, we have changed the 100 per cent compostable bags to paper bags. Since the last two days, we are using these paper bags for selling our goods. While most of our stores in the city have started using new bags, in the next three days remaining stores will also have paper bags in place.”
Ravi Jashnani, president, Maharashtra Plastic Manufacturing Association (MPMA) had said, “Civic authorities ignore the violations done by big retailers. However, in an uncompromising attitude, the PMC cracks down on small retail shops. This is truly unfair.”
The Maharashtra government, on March 23, had issued a notification to ban plastic items across the state.
Pune generates nearly 1,600 tonnes of garbage every day. Nearly 250 tonnes is wet garbage, 850 tonnes is dry, while 500 tonnes is mixed garbage.
Twelve per cent of the garbage consists of plastic. Following the statewide ban, PMC has seized over 30 tonnes of banned plastic goods and carry bags account for more than 60 per cent the seized plastic.
