Court summons Shoppers Stop for using plastic bags

The sessions court upheld the order of the magistrate's court which had issued the order of summons on March 6, 2010, to the Shoppers Stop Ltd on the criminal case lodged against it under the Environment Protection Act.

Dismissing a revision petition filed by the company, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Rajeev Bansal rejected its argument that a complaint under Environment Protection Act cannot be filed by an environment engineer of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

"In the net result, the revision petition is devoid of any merit and is hereby dismissed. Parties are directed to appear before the trial court on November 17, 2011," the judge said.

Opposing the plea of Shoppers Stop, allegedly found using plastic carry bags in its Ansal Plaza outlet in South Delhi, the counsel for Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) told the court that the retail chain was in July, 2009, also found using plastic carry bags and fined.

"Counsel (for DPCC) further argued that the petitioner (Shoppers Stop) was even on an earlier occasion found to be guilty of the same offence when a fine of Rs 50,000 was imposed upon them but probably because the petitioner is a big concern, they are violating the law blissfully," the judge noted.

A criminal case against the company was initiated on a complaint lodged by DPCC on September 4, 2009, after inspection of the store and lifting of samples.