The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) conducted an intensive two-day campaign on December 10 and 11 to curb the use of single-use plastics. The operation resulted in the collection of over Rs1.10 lakh in fines and the seizure of 38.85 kilograms of prohibited plastic materials.
The flying squads from Zone 1 and Zone 2, led by Deputy Commissioners Somnath Potre and Dr. Kailas Gaikwad, inspected shops and penalized those found using banned plastic bags and other single-use plastic items.
In the Belapur ward, actions were taken against five shops, leading to Rs 30,000 in fines and the confiscation of seven kilograms of banned plastic. Similarly, in the Nerul ward, fines totaling Rs 10,000 were imposed, and 2.5 kilograms of plastic were seized.
In the Vashi and Turbhe wards, three shops were penalized, resulting in Rs 30,000 in fines and the seizure of 13.5 kilograms of banned plastic materials.
Dr. Kailas Shinde, Municipal Commissioner, highlighted the environmental and health risks associated with single-use plastics. "The NMMC is committed to making Navi Mumbai free of environmentally harmful plastics. In addition to enforcement actions, we are also working to raise public awareness about adopting sustainable alternatives like cloth and paper bags," he said.