Mangalore: High Court Orders Stay on Plastic Ban in City
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Jan 16: In a setback to Mangalore City Corporation's drive against the use of plastic, the high court on Tuesday January 15 ordered a stay on the blanket ban imposed by the MCC.
The MCC's complete ban on plastic carrybags, plates, cups and other plastic items had come into effect on November 1, 2012. Since then, the MCC has carried out several raids across the city on violators and also conducted several awarenes programmes including free distribution of cloth bags.
Following the ban order, the city-based Canara Plastic Manufacturers and Suppliers Union filed a petition in the high court urging revocation of the ban. They contented that as per the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) rules under the central environment ministry, only carrybags less than 40 microns are banned, while those above 40 microns can be manufactured, sold and used.
Hence the district administration should allow the manufacture and use of plastic above 40 microns, the petition urged. The high court thereby ordered a stay on the ban of plastic in the city, said B A Nazir, president of Canara Plastic Manufacturers and Suppliers Union.