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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
PMC intensifies crackdown against plastic bags; over Rs 1 crore collected in fines since October last year
(Written by Kivi Lydia Vito) The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has intensified its crackdown on the use of banned plastic items, collecting over Rs 1.04 crore in fines and seizing 8,090 kg of bags and other items between October 2024 and May 2025. As many as 2,074 violations were also recorded during this period. Single-use plastic remains a common sight in many markets, with vendors citing the lack of alternatives and demands from customers as major hurdles. As per PMC data, inspections have increased significantly across high-density commercial areas. 'Our key targeted areas include Mahatma Phule Mandai, Laxmi Road, Ravivar Peth, Market Yard, Tulsi Baug, and zones with street vendors. Our flying squads concentrate on places with lots of markets and shops, and we have intensified raids in mutton and chicken markets, tourist spots, etc,' said Sandip Kadam, deputy commissioner, solid waste management, PMC. 'We are targeting not only retailers, but also manufacturers and distributors who supply banned plastic. Simply penalising shopkeepers is not enough. Breaking the supply chain is key to effective enforcement,' he added. Kadam confirmed that some vendors have also been fined multiple times, 'We follow the official fines stipulated: Rs 5,000 for the first offence, Rs 10,000 for the second, and Rs 25,000 for repeat offenders. There are some repeat cases, but we haven't seen resistance from anyone yet.' However, on the ground, vendors say that compliance is difficult due to customer demands and lack of options. Imtiaz Khan, a meat vendor, explained, 'Our choices are really limited. Paper bags simply aren't good enough to hold the meat properly. Even though plastic bags are more costly, I still have to use them because if I put the meat in a paper bag, it can fall out before the customer even reaches home. It's not just about convenience but about making sure the product reaches its destination.' Sharing the same concern, a vegetable vendor said, 'I can't put potatoes in a paper bag because they are too heavy and the bag will tear easily. We tried using paper bags for a while but they often get ripped when holding wet or heavy items. Most customers do not bring bags, so we had to switch back to plastic bags even if they might not be legal because we do not have many options.' A shopkeeper said, 'At first we completely switched to paper bags because of the new rules, but many customers told us that their items kept falling out because the paper bags were not strong enough, and caused a lot of problems for them. Now, we keep a small number of plastic bags ready for customers who ask. It is hard to say no when they insist. But thankfully, most of my regular customers have started bringing bags from home.' The PMC said enforcement is only one part of the solution. It has been promoting eco-friendly alternatives such as cloth, jute, and certified compostable bags through awareness drives and collaborations with local self-help groups. Acknowledging the challenges, Kadam said, 'Affordable alternatives are limited, and consumer behaviour remains hard to shift. We understand the economic strain that small vendors face. That is why we are working to ensure that more affordable and accessible alternatives are available.' Kivi Lydia Vito is an intern with The Indian Express.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Pune Municipal Corporation's plan to generate power from waste remains on paper
Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation's plan to revive the project to generate electricity from garbage has not made any headway in the last two years, despite a provision in the civic budget for 2025-26. Now, the deadline to set up a plant at Ramtekdi, which will have a capacity to handle 350 tonnes of waste a day, has extended by four months from the scheduled period of Dec 2025. Officials said the administration considered various factors such as time to import equipment and machinery for the facility, and procedural delays for the extension of the deadline. "Most of the civil works have been completed. The administration is hoping to generate energy from April 2026," said Sandip Kadam, head of PMC's solid waste management department. Residents, however, said the civic body should focus on dealing with the basic problems of garbage collection and processing. "Piles of trash lying unattended can be seen across locations as a result of open dumping. Instead of wasting money on unsuccessful projects, more vehicles should be purchased to lift and dispose of the trash," said Ameya Nipankar of Kothrud. Vivek Velankar of Sajag Nagrik Manch, a citizens' group, said the corporation has not been able to produce power from waste. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dermatologista recomenda: simples truque elimina o fungo facilmente Acabe com o Fungo Undo "Many attempts were made, but none of them proved successful. Even then, some officials are adamant on starting new projects on similar lines. It is a waste of public money." More than a decade ago, PMC announced with much fanfare its plan to set up two plants of 500 tonnes and 250 tonnes capacity at Uruli Devachi. But after these faced opposition from local residents, the civic body scrapped the idea and declared two years ago that it would establish a plant at Ramtekdi. As per available data, the city generates around 2,300 metric tonnes of garbage every day. More than 350 vehicles are deployed for collecting and transporting waste. Civic officials said they also hope to get financial aid from Centre. Union govt provides central financial assistance to project developers and service charges to implementing/inspection agencies in respect of successful commissioning of waste to energy plants for generation of biogas, bio-CNG/enriched biogas/compressed biogas, and power/generation of syngas.
