Jamshedpur: In a major crackdown on banned single-use plastic, a joint enforcement team carried out a special anti-plastic drive across key areas of Jugsalai on Wednesday. Officials seized around 7 kilograms of prohibited plastic items and imposed fines on violators as part of intensified efforts to enforce plastic waste management rules and promote a plastic-free campaign in the town.
The campaign covered areas including Station Road Gurudwara to Bata Chowk, Chowk Bazaar, Dharamshala Road, Jugsalai Phatak Chowk, and Marwari Para Road. Action was taken against street vendors, flower sellers, and local shopkeepers found using or selling banned single-use plastic items.
From January 1, 2023, the import, storage, distribution, sale, and use of plastic carry bags and products with a thickness of less than 120 microns — whether on regular days or during festivals, community events, or other functions — has been declared a punishable offence.
Approximately 7 kilograms of banned single-use plastic were seized from the following vendors/shopkeepers:
- Amar Store
- Savera Bakery
- Ramchandra Sao
- Chaturbhuj Stall
- Ram Chaat Shop
- Wine Shop
- Suraj Kumar
A total fine of ₹3,000 was collected, and strict warnings were issued against further sale of banned plastic products.
Under the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021, the use of plastic carry bags with a thickness less than 75 microns and non-woven plastic carry bags below 60 GSM has been prohibited since September 30, 2021. Further, from January 1, 2023, the import, storage, distribution, sale, and use of plastic carry bags and products below 120 microns has been declared punishable.
As per Rule 4 (Sub-rule 2) of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021, notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale, and use of the following single-use plastic items have been banned since July 1, 2022, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene items:
- Earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice cream sticks, and thermocol decorative items.
- Plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners below 100 microns thickness, stirrers, etc.
Appeal by Jugsalai Municipal Council:
Residents are urged to use jute, paper, cloth bags, and other biodegradable/compostable alternatives instead of the banned single-use plastic and thermocol. Eating food served on thermocol plates may pose serious health risks, including cancer. Instead, plates made from sal leaves or other natural materials should be used.
Shopkeepers possessing banned materials are requested to deposit them at the Jugsalai Municipal Council office at the earliest and cooperate with the government’s Plastic-Free Jugsalai campaign. Anyone found manufacturing, importing, storing, distributing, selling, or using the prohibited items will face strict legal action and financial penalties under the Plastic Waste Management Rules and relevant provisions of the Municipal Act.
Present during the drive were Municipal Manager Rajendra Kumar; Md. Aftab Alam, Junior Environmental Engineer from the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board; the joint team of Jugsalai Police Station; Junior Engineer Deepak Sinkoo; Revenue Inspector Rahul Kumar Das; Umesh Prajapati; Md. Naseem Akhtar; Sanitary Supervisors Dinesh Kumar Mahto, Haseen Khan, Manjeet Kumar; Home Guard Santosh Kumar Yadav; and other municipal staff members.
