Corporators want total ban on plastic bags

Cutting across party lines, corporators demanded blanket ban on plastic bags in the city during the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body (GB) meeting on Monday.

They claimed that the permission to only use carry plastic bags of 50 micron or more thickness is violated rampantly in the city. The city representatives were discussing the PMC’s proposal to impose a ban on free distribution of plastic carry bags by shop owners.

According to the proposal, shop owners will have to charge Rs5 extra to provide a 8x12 inch plastic bag having thickness of 50 micron thickness or more. Similarly, Rs10 extra will be charged for carry bags having the size of 12x18 inch and Rs15 extra for bags larger than that.

However, corporators opposed the concept of levying extra charge and demanded a complete ban on plastic bags.

Senior Congress corporator Aba Bagul said, “Although shop owners are directed to charge extra for carry bags, there is no infrastructure available to keep a tab on this exercise.”

Leader of the house Subhash Jagtap insisted that instead the civic administration should prepare a proposal imposing 100% ban on carry bags.

Municipal commissioner Mahesh Pathak said, “The civic body has already banned plastic bags below 50 micron and is charging on those above 50 micron to discourage its use.”

But corporators pressed for the proposal on 100% ban on plastic bags.