SDMC imposes 50K fine on ‘bhandara’ for plastic litter

Stepping up its anti-plastic campaign, the SDMC on Sunday took imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on the organisers of a 'bhandara' (community meal) in Chirag Delhi for using plastic material and littering the place, officials said.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has been running a campaign to urge people to shun single-use plastic material in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the country.

"The South Zone of the SDMC today took a stringent step and issued a challan of Rs 50,000 to the organisers of a 'bhandara', for using thermo-plastic material and for littering the place in Chirag Delhi," the corporation said in a statement.

The field staff found that the organisers had "not taken proper measures to collect and dispose used plates but littered the nearby ground," it said.

"In this regard, under 'Swachhta hi Sewa' campaign, instructions have been issued to the field staff to be vigilant and take appropriate action against the violators as per the law," a senior official said

During the campaign, the SDMC is regularly making all-out efforts to educate and make people aware and sensitise them about the harmful effects of single-use plastic, he said.

"Since, 'Swachhta hi Sewa' campaign, especially again single-use plastic, is going on, all field staff have been instructed to keep a strict vigil on 'bhandaras' and other such functions," the SDMC said.