M'shtra passes ordinance to ban plastic bags

The State cabinet has passed an ordinance banning plastic bags with thickness less than 50 microns and measuring less than 20 cm x 30 cm. The ordinance also bans use of recycled plastic for packaging of edible items.

The state cabinet which met under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Tuesday passed the Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable Material Control Act.

After the July 26 flood, the state government had announced that it would ban plastic bags in the state as plastic bags were found choking the drains during rains.

The state government faced opposition from the industries, media, activists after the announcement. The government then appointed a one-man committee and former Chief Secretary V Rangnathan started looking into the matter.

After hearing industry representatives, environmentalist and public at large the committee gave its recommendations to the state government last month. Accepting the committee's recommendations, the state cabinet passed the ordinance.

The plastic bag manufacturers will now have to print on the bag their name, license number given by the pollution control board and industry department, thickness of the bag and details of the raw material from which it is produced.

The sale, reprocess and disposal of the plastic bags would be a responsibility of the municipal commissioners in municipal corporation areas, chief executive officer in the municipal council area and district collectors in other areas.

The ordinance makes it mandatory for housing societies, commercial complexes, restaurants and hotels to make two separate garbage bins. Those who fail to do so will be fined Rs 5,000 for the first offence and they can also be imprisoned after the third offence. This will be applicable from April 1.

Besides this all municipal corporations have been directed to set up ward level centre before April 1 for handling, segregation and disposal of the non biodegradable garbage.