CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu: In a special enforcement drive organised by the local bodies in Tamil Nadu, a total of 116.17 tonnes of banned single-use plastic items were seized, informed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
The move aims to enforce the ban on single-use plastic items to reduce plastic waste pollution. As part of the enforcement drive, officials inspected the use of single-use plastic items among the street vendors, fruit sellers, and flower sellers in local markets, wholesale markets, industrial areas, and interstate borders across all the districts in the state. Officials searched 57,126 entities and identified 13,753 violating the norms. Apart from seizing the 116.17 tonnes of plastic and sending it for recycling, ₹64.5 lakh has been collected as fines during the drive.
Between January 2019 and April 2024, the state pollution control board directed to cut down the power supply of nearly 235 industries producing banned plastic items, such as non-woven carry bags, plastic bags, water pouches, etc.
The pollution control body also informed that urban local bodies conduct regular inspections to enforce the ban. In the process, nearly 691 tonnes of banned single-use plastic has been seized, and a fine of ₹8.75 crore has also been collected, since January 2022.
On the other hand, to discourage people from using plastic items and to encourage the use of cloth bags, the TNSPCB has installed manjappai-vending machines at 174 high-density locations, including Koyambedu Market, Kilambakkam Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus.