Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 4: The officials of the local city corporation here and Karnataka State Environment Pollution Control Board, who intensified their drive against the use of inferior quality plastic bags, conducted simultaneous raids at various places in the city and confiscated about 1,000 kgs of forbidden plastic bags. In the operation, which was conducted on Wednesday August 3, over 100 shops located in Kadri, Hampankatta, Central market, State Bank, Bunder, and other areas were covered.

Environment engineer of the Board, Manjunath L Shetty, said that the shops which sell plastic bags and those which use the bags for packing the items sold by them were primarily targeted on Wednesday. As per rules, plastic sachets that are thinner than 40 microns cannot be used. He added that fine of Rs 750 each was imposed on four shops dealing in plastic bags for flouting the rules as a preliminary measure. “If these shops continue to trade in such plastic bags, their trade licences will be cancelled. The operation against such plastic bags will be continued,” he added.

Executive engineer of the Board, Lakshman, health inspectors of the city corporation, Babu Mallanna, Karunakar, Lal Baig, and Poovappa, were involved with the operation.

Tannirbavi and Panambur beaches have already been declared as plastic-free zones. A meeting of plastic manufacturers, sellers, and shopkeepers had been convened earlier, and the concerned had promised not to make us of substandard plastic bags. However, such bags continue to be used blatantly, the officials noted.