Drive against banned plastic to be launched in Chennai

Greater Chennai Corporation along with police and others will initiate measures

A committee of senior officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation, TNPCB, police and other line agencies will initiate measures to prevent transportation, storage, wholesale and retail sale of banned plastics in the city.

The civic officials have started monitoring trades involved in transportation and storage of the banned plastic materials in the city. Once the location of such trades is mapped, the civic body and other line agencies will initiate regulatory measures pertaining to licences.

Initiatives to prevent transportation of banned plastics from other States will be launched. Their manufacturing in the city will also be banned. An awareness campaign will be held in various parts of the city to prevent the distribution of the banned plastics in commercial areas.

Officials have conducted raids in 40,336 commercial establishments responsible for manufacturing, transportation, distribution and sale of banned plastics in the city. The largest number of such establishments have been located in zones such as Madhavaram, Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar, Ambattur, Anna Nagar, Teynampet and Perungudi. 

The largest quantity of banned plastics have been seized in zones such as Anna Nagar and Alandur. Royapuram zone has reported the highest collection of fine amount for violation of the ban on plastics.

A total of 1.7 tonnes of banned plastics have been seized in Anna Nagar, 1.8 tonnes in Royapuram, 1.1 tonnes in Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar, 1.4 tonnes in Ambattur, 2 tonnes in Teynampet, 2.6 tonnes in Kodambakkam, 3 tonnes in Adyar and 1.2 tonnes in Alandur. The civic body is planning to promote alternatives such as banana leaves and lotus leaves for food business operators in the 15 zones of the city.