Officials raid shops violating plastic use norm in Kolar

Huge quantities of plastic covers, cups seized

Officials led by Kolar City Municipal Council Commissioner Mahendra Kumar on Thursday conducted surprise raids on shops in prominent commercial areas of the city and seized plastic covers and cups of less than 40 micron thickness.

Raids were conducted on shops, bakeries, restaurants, godowns and other business establishments situated  in Doddapet, Kalamma Temple Street and in front of the new bus stand. Officials seized two tractor-trailer loads of plastic material, which were of less than 40 micron thickness. The officials levied a fine of over Rs 15,000 on eight restaurants and 25 shops for violating the norm.

The raids were not limited to shops but extended even to the make-shift shops at the weekly shandy at the Santhe Maidan, where huge quantity of plastic covers were seized.

On learning about the raids, a businessman in Doddapet had locked his shop even as the workers were inside. Officials, however, summoned the businessman and got the doors opened. They found huge quantity of plastic covers and cups, which were of less than 40 micron thickness, in his shop.

After the seized material was loaded into tractor-trailer, the businessman climbed the vehicle to get back his goods. However, CMC staff and the police dragged him away. Other merchants came to the support of the businessman and, this led to heated exchanges between the traders and officials.

Adequate awareness has been created on the ban on use of plastic goods of less then 40 micron thickness. Criminal proceedings will be initiated against those violating the norms in future, the CMC Commissioner said. CMC health officer Ramesh, revenue officer R Chalapathi and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board’s assistant environment officer Narayanaswamy participated in the raids.