Plastic bags less than 50 microns is to be banned in Coimbatore from 1st May 2017. Therefore, Coimbatore corporation has been holding numerous inspections to curb the usage of such plastic bags. Though a section of shopkeepers and traders have made necessary changes by replacing banned plastic bags with eco-friendly and bio-degradable bags, still a majority of the traders, mostly small-scale disregard these orders.
Previously, the health department conducted an inspection at the 5th ward, where plastic worth 377 kgs were found and discarded. This week a checking was held in the 23rd ward by the west zone health officer, Radhakrishnan. The officials seized 25kgs of plastic and shopkeepers were liable to pay a fine of Rs. 3000.
In another inspection held today at Hope college, around 21 kgs of plastic bags (less than 50 micron) were found and Rs. 12,500 was levied as fine. The Officials also advised the small scale traders like flower/fruit sellers to abstain from selling plastic bags less than 50 microns as they are hazardous to the environment.
