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One Month Of The Plastic Ban: How Is Mumbai Faring?

How is Mumbai faring one month after the plastic ban?

A customer holds a plastic bag containing chai as another drinks chai from a glass at a roadside stall in Mumbai. (Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)
A customer holds a plastic bag containing chai as another drinks chai from a glass at a roadside stall in Mumbai. (Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)

A little over a month ago, Mumbai joined cities like Seattle in U.S., Montreal in Canada, and Hamburg in Germany to ban plastic.

The ban followed a notification by the Maharashtra government that banned the use, sale, distribution and storage of single-use plastic and articles made from thermocol. Ever since, businesses in the state have had to make do without plastic bags.

Accordingly, persons found carrying single-use non-recyclable plastic items faced a fine of Rs 5,000 for the first violation and double that amount on violating the rule a second time. Repeating the offence a third time would cost Rs. 25,000.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said that it has seized 7,131 kg of plastic since June 23 and has collected a total of Rs 53 lakh by way of penalties as on Jul. 27.

Here’s how Mumbai has fared after the plastic ban was imposed: