Carrying plastic bag in Mumbai may hit your pocket; you may end up paying Rs 10,000 fine; details here

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken some stringent rule in regards to cleanliness of the India's financial capital. According to the latest reports, any Mumbai citizen if carries or takes a plastic bag from any vendor will be liable to pay Rs 5,000 penalty for the first violation. The fine could go further up to Rs 10,000 for the repeat offender. To have a close watch on this matter, the BMC has decided to depute 200 inspectors to catch hold of defaulters and fine them for using plastic. This would not be the first time when BMC is imposing ban of plastic bags in the city, a similar move was carried out from January 12. 

Talking about this step, Nidhi Chaudhari, Head Anti-Encroachment Department of BMC told NDTV, "We have given public and shopkeepers enough time to get prepared for the plastic ban. From June 23, these inspectors, along with BMC employees will start penalising citizens and vendors if they will be found using the banned plastic items."

Chaudhari reportedly said, "To make the plastic ban in the city effective the municipal corporation has made three teams — the market department, which is an umbrella body of 200-odd BMC markets, the shops and establishments-department, which keeps an eye on shops across the city, and the licensing department, which will ensure that street hawkers and vendors comply with the ban."

Taking this movement ahead, the BMC will be publishing the names of  inspectors with their names on their official site — one for markets and malls, and other for supervising street hawkers.

Earlier in a notification on March 23, the Maharashtra government highlighted a list of places where they will strictly follow the ban on use of plastic bags. These places are included  government and non-government organisation, educational institution, sports complex, hotels among few. 

What Does The Ban Include?

• Plastic bags with handle and without handle
• The disposable products manufactured from plastic and thermocol (polystyrene) such
• As single use disposable dish, cups, plates, glasses, fork, bowl, container
• Disposable dish/ bowl used for packaging food in hotels, spoon, straw, non-woven
• polypropylene bags, cups/ pouches to store liquid
• Packaging with plastic to wrap or store the products
• Packaging of food items and food grain material