This story is from June 13, 2019

Plastic bag manufacturers on Bhubaneswar civic body radar

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will identify and conduct raids on manufacturers of plastic bags in the city to find out whether they are complying with polythene making norms
Plastic bag manufacturers on Bhubaneswar civic body radar
The enforcement squad of BMC seized polythene bags from fruit vendors in Bhubaneswar
BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will identify and conduct raids on manufacturers of plastic bags in the city to find out whether they are complying with polythene making norms.
According to the central pollution control board (CPCB), plastic bags of below 50 micron thickness cannot be manufactured as thinner bags pose a major threat to environment due to its non-disposability.

BMC commissioner Samarth Verma said the wholesalers have been identified and raids will continue. The manufacturers are yet to be identified, he added.
"We have activated the intelligence to tap the locations of plastic bag making units. We have a dedicated officer who oversees the seizure and raid exercises," the commissioner said.
The BMC has been conducting raids at the markets and malls in the city. So far, it has seized three quintal of plastic-carry bags, less than 50 micron thickness, from traders, shopkeepers and vendors.
Initially, the raids were carried out for some days but they had suddenly stopped. Additional chief secretary (forest and environment) Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said the process was delayed due to elections and Cyclone Fani.

BMC deputy commissioner Prabir Khillar, who is the nodal officer of the ban enforcement, said the manufacturers will come under the radar soon.
"I have asked those working in the enforcement wing to find out the manufacturing units. We will also try to obtain information from suppliers and wholesalers. Around 60 kg of polythene bags were seized from a single wholesaler. We have so far collected a penalty of Rs 30,000," Khillar said.
The officer added that besides vegetable, fruit and grocery markets, every hotel and mall will be raided and the process will continue till all plastic-carry bags are removed. "Once our raids are over, we will keep tabs on the suppliers to check whether they clandestinely sale such bags from their old stock," the officer said.
After Cyclone Fani, polythene bags were widely used as there was no alternative. Similarly, after Cyclone Titli had hit the state in October last year, "banned" polythene bags had come handy while distributing cooked food among cyclone-affected people.
The government had no choice but to use them in the absence of any other alternative during the tragedy. Mostly, food packets in poly bags were distributed in the Purusottampur block in Ganjam.
The state government had banned plastic bags with less than 50 microns thickness in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur since October 2, 2018.
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