Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to impose hefty penalties on owners of hotels rated one star and above for breaking plastic ban rules.
The civic body at its meeting held here Wednesday decided that star hotels will be levied a penalty of Rs 2,000 if they are caught violating the plastic ban for the first time, Rs 10,000 for the second time and Rs 50,000 for the third offence.
The BMC warned that repeat, willful defaulters will attract criminal proceedings, and their trade licences would be revoked.
The BMC said that if hotels rated four stars and above are found flouting the ban, and continue to use banned plastic products, an additional penalty of 25 per cent would be imposed on them.
Marriage halls would have to pay an additional 10 per cent on the applicable penalty if found breaking plastic ban rules.
The BMC also laid down guidelines for businessmen as well as private citizens.
Action against old stock
Environment director K Murugesan Wednesday said the one-month deadline given to dispose of the stocked plastics and polythene has expired today (Wednesday). “We’ve already issued letters to the Urban Development department, all executive officers of municipalities and commissioners of all municipal corporations to take immediate action against the violators for stocking banned plastic bag and polythene as per the municipal law.”
The State Pollution Control Board has been instructed to conduct inspections in the industries producing polythene and plastic bags within the limit of banned six towns, he said.
All the stocks will be seized and legal action will be taken against the violators as per the Environment Protection Act, the director said.