Hyderabad: The ban on plastic covers below-50-micron thickness in city limits from August 1 is having an adverse impact on costumers. Like malls and shopping complexes, even grocers have started asking customers to pay Rs 5 for plastic covers which they earlier gave free of cost.
Mr Praveen Kumar, a resident of Methodist Colony, said, “For the first time, the grocery store owner charged me Rs 5 for a plastic bag, which he earlier gave free. The bags were made of thicker plastic. When I asked him about the charge, he said they had disposed of all the below-50-micron plastic bags and had to purchase plastic covers as per the rules. And for every purchase costumers would have to buy these bags if they didn’t carry any.”
Mr K. Amarnath of Jayalakshmi Store, Begumpet, said, “We had GHMC staff expla-in to us about the plastic rules, and they also educated us about the fines for violations. We disposed bags with less thickness and purchased ones above 50 microns. We are charging for the same.”
So costumers should carry their own bags rather than paying Rs 5 for every purchase. Selling or stocking plastic bags below 50 microns or even using sachets or pouches will attract a fine of '10,000 for the first time and Rs 25,000 for the second fine. For a third violation, the establishment will be shut down or stocks confiscated, said GHMC authorities.
According to Public Waste Management Rules 2016, plastic bags made of recycled plastic should not be less than 50 microns. The GHMC has launched a drive from August 1 to monitor usage and disposal of plastic of business establishments.
