VMC Adopts 'Plastic Management' to Reduce Polythene Usage

Plastic carry bags seen at vegetable stalls at 

Swarajya Maidan Rythu Bazar in Vijayawada

VIJAYAWADA: In a step towards reducing plastic use in the city, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has taken up a new initiative, ‘Plastic Management’, under which polythene bags of minimum 44 microns of thickness should be manufactured. Violators will attract heavy penalties.

The decision to this effect was taken in the recently conducted VMC Council meeting, after all the efforts of the civic body in implementing a ‘complete ban’ on plastic failed.

“Even though the municipal corporation tried several times to completely ban use of plastic, it was not implemented successfully. Hence, we decided to lessen the usage of plastic in the city by implementing plastic management this time,” explained VMC chief medical officer M Gopi Naik.

According to the plastic management guidelines, polythene bags should be of a minimum thickness of 44 microns and they should not be given free of cost to consumers. In case of violation, the merchants/sellers will be slapped with a fine of `5,000 to ` 25,000, depending on the availability of the stock.

Thus, the customers will be forced to use the same plastic bags many times, if the thickness is more. It may be mentioned here that the VMC had appointed a task force committee to supervise plastic usage earlier, it is not working properly.

Meanwhile, the new initiative came under widespread criticism from environmentalists and eco-lovers in the city.

“Whether the thickness is less or more, discarded plastic poses a threat to environment and human health.

Excessive use of plastic bags and their unregulated disposal has been blocking lakes, ponds and urban sewerage systems in Vijayawada.

It also pose threat to cows that rummage through garbage bins and eat foodstuff disposed of in plastic bags, which get stuck in their stomach. To avoid repetition of such incidents, plastic usage should be banned completely,” felt B Siva Kumari, an environmentalist and botany head at Andhra Loyola College.