MUMBAI: From July 1, vendors at BMC markets in Mumbai will stop giving vegetables and fruits in plastic bags to customers.

A circular to that effect has been issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Though the state government has allowed the use of plastic which is not less than 20 microns in thickness, the civic administration maintains that plastic is a menace.

Also, the BMC's inability to completely curb the use of banned plastic has led to this decision.

In 1999, the government banned the use of thin polythene bags, claiming that its non-biodegradable nature polluted the environment.

Additional municipal commissioner Subrat Ratho told TNN that the BMC felt that plastic bags which were thicker than the permissible limit continue to choke drains.

"Though we can't quantify the amount of plastic which finds its way to the dumping ground, we know that it is at a dangerous (to the environment) level."

There are 99 BMC markets. They include flower, fruit, vegetable and fish markets.

All the other markets are unauthorised and run by hawkers. Mr Ratho said that though the BMC kept raiding markets to find thin plastic, "we have not been fully successful in implementing the ban".

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NEW DELHI: Residents of south and central Delhi and Shahdara regions will be part of garbage segregation workshops by Delhi government's Bhagidari cell this July.

Held in co-ordination with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the NGO Accord four workshops will be held in the three districts. MCD has made it mandatory for all garbage to be segregated in to biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste at the household level by December 31, 2003.

Experts feel the biggest challenge for the project's success is to change people's attitude through awareness drives. Since 1,200 resident welfare associations (RWA) are already working within the Bhagidari system, MCD has sought the Delhi government's assistance.

"It is important that all the stakeholders work in conjunction,'' said chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

The Delhi government will also be disbursing an amount of Rs 20 lakh to RWAs through a special grant for the purchase of twin-bins for household use and double chamber rickshaws for transportation of segregated garbage. ''Twenty five per cent of the grant must be used for public awareness while the rest is for purchasing equipment,'' Ramesh Negi, MCD's additional commissioner (sanitation) and coordinating officer said.

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