Goa has declared war on plastic waste.
To promote Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Movement), a central government campaign to clean the country’s streets, roads and infrastructure, Goa’s chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, on Tuesday announced a plan to curb plastic waste in the state by imposing fines of up to Rs5,000 (US$77) fine for buying or selling bags in the state.
Under the Goa Biodegradable Garbage (Controlled) Act 1996, the state currently bans the use of plastic bags below 40 microns.
Parrikar was quoted as saying: “We are going to implement a ban on plastic in the state. The fine won’t be a meager amount. It will be hefty. It might be up to Rs5,000 for every offense. We might give some relaxation in the beginning in terms of the amount of fine, but we are strictly going to implement the ban.” Enforcement of the regulation will begin in July.
The minister urged people to take responsibility for the proper disposal of their waste.
He said: “We have now provided workstations to collect garbage on the highways. I appeal to people to hand over their garbage at these workstations, rather than just throwing it on the roadside.”