VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has decided to impose a penalty of Rs. 25,000 on plastic traders selling plastic of thickness below 50 microns. If the traders violated the ban the second time then they will be fined Rs. 30,000 and the third time violation can lead to cancelation of the trade license.
The measures by the civic body were taken considering the Plastic Management Act 2016 (PMC-2016).
The vendors, traders, shopkeepers, wholesale dealers of plastic bags, whoever wants to provide plastic bags for giving out commodities in the city will have to register with the corporation by giving a sum of Rs. 4000 per month as plastic waste maintenance charges. GVMC has yet not spelled out if the traders who will register with the corporation will have to use plastic of thickness above 50 microns or can use less.