Maharashtra to target manufacturers, stockists of plastic bags

Mumbai, Feb 23: In a bid to check pollution due to use of plastic bags, the Maharashtra state government has decided to target manufacturers and stockists of plastic bags below thickness of 50 microns.

Earlier, the Maharashtra state government had imposed a ban under the Environment Protection Act, on manufacture, sale and stocking of plastic bags below 50 microns thickness, Maharashtra Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam said.

The department has started stricter implementation of the existing law which has a provision of imposing fine of upto Rs 1 lakh and imprisonment of upto five years, he said.

"Stockists need to be targeted to weed out the menace of plastic bags which choke drains, nullahs and rivers," he said. The environment department has also made a list of 144 illegal abattoirs across the state which have been served closure notices and will be sealed, he said. The government has constituted a group to study ways to promote tourism, horticulture and industrial development of the Konkan region in the light of environmental restrictions after the Gadgil Committee and Kasturirangan Committee reports.

The study group is expected to submit its report in six months, he said.

PTI