Market areas in Panchkula saw a flurry of activity today as sanitation and enforcement wings of the Municipal Corporation conducted a synchronized raid to enforce the single-use plastic (SUP) ban. The drive specifically targeted commercial hubs where plastic bags are still frequently used despite legal restrictions.
-
The Crackdown: Led by the Chief Sanitary Inspector, multiple teams fanned out across Sectors 7, 9, 11, and the Sector 15 market. Officers inspected grocery stores, vegetable vendors, and sweet shops. A total of 40 establishments were penalized for violating the Plastic Waste Management Rules.
-
Massive Seizure: Officials confiscated a wide variety of items, including thin carry bags (below 120 microns), plastic straws, stirrers, and thermocol decorative materials. In total, 200 kg of plastic waste was loaded into MC trucks and sent to the processing plant for disposal.
-
Financial Penalties: The fines ranged from ₹500 for small-scale vendors to ₹5,000 for larger retailers, depending on the volume of plastic recovered. The administration warned that repeat offenders would face the disconnection of electricity and water services or even the sealing of their shops.
-
Environmental Goal: “Panchkula aims to be a leader in the ‘Clean City’ rankings. Single-use plastic is the biggest hurdle as it chokes our sewers and harms the soil. We are encouraging shopkeepers to switch to compostable bags or cloth alternatives,” said a senior MC official.
