Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation has completed 100 days of plastic ban within the corporation limits, keeping high hopes of achieving a total ban of single-use plastic by 2027.
It was on June 5, minister for industries and IT Gudivada Amarnath and mayor in a meeting announced the ban coinciding with World Environment Day. The corporation also announced major tourist spots as plastic-free zones.
On August 26, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy led a beach cleaning programme which created a world record. Around 76 tons of plastic were collected in a single day in a stretch of 28 km beach road between Gokul Park and Bheemili Beach.
An official of GVMC public health department said that in the last 100 days, checks were conducted in 27,251 premises and seized 1,565 kg of single-use plastic from various sections of the society. Around Rs 11, 72,800 worth fines were collected from the offenders. Bags made of cloth were distributed to six lakh families in Visakhapatnam, the official said.
“We are campaigning against plastic through various forms. Street plays, puppet shows, short documentary films, painting and essay writing competition for schools were organised to create awareness among the people,’’ the health officials said.
