Officials of Dibrugarh district administration have carried out a drive against plastic carry bags for last two days to make the town plastic-free. On Saturday, the administration conducted a raid and imposed fine of Rs 8000 from the street vendors who were found to be using plastic carry bags.
However, use of banned plastic carry bags in the main market of the town seen almost nil after the imposition of fine to the tune of Rs.10000 per shop two days ago. People are seen carrying paper/cloth bags for their day to day marketing.
However, majority of shopkeepers expressed helplessness for not using plastic bags. “This time the Dibrugarh district administration is very much strict against the use of plastic carry bags. Some of the customers came to us and asked for carry bags when we refused to give they misbehaved with us,” said a Shopkeeper at New market Dibrugarh.
Sources said that the district administration is planning to collect Rs.1000 fine from each users found to be carrying plastic carry bags in the town from next Monday.
“I am very much happy with the drive carried by the district administration against the using of plastic carry bags because it creates pollution and very harmful for health. During monsoon season the drains of Dibrugrah become clogged and the water cannot flushed properly from the town area because the plastic bags which were thrown into drains clogged the drain water,’’ said an elderly of Dibrugarh town.
In another drive against non-availability of parking places in the nursing homes, the team collected Rs.80000 as fine from four nursing homes on Friday and issued on the spot notices to some others to comply with the norms with immediate effect.