New Delhi: Civic authorities on Friday seized nearly 700 kg of plastic items and issued over 350 challans in its jurisdiction in view of the countrywide ban on single-use plastic (SUP), an official statement said.
According to the statement, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is taking all necessary steps to ensure the enforcement of the ban by forming squads to check the use of SUP items and also spread awareness among people.
"The MCD has seized 689.01 kg of plastic items and issued 368 challans in its jurisdiction in view of the single use plastic ban. Total 125 enforcement teams have been constituted at zonal level to eliminate stocking, sale and usage of banned items," the civic body said in the statement.
Meanwhile, with a ban on single-use plastic coming into effect from Friday, 'no plastic' posters were seen outside shops in major markets in Delhi including Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar and Palika Bazaar, and most shopkeepers urged people to use alternatives.
A few shopkeepers were, however, seen hesitantly selling items in polythene bags as "they are still left with some stock", while traders' bodies took rounds of the Sarojini Nagar market at regular intervals to ensure the protocol is followed.
Most customers were seen without the trademark white Sarojini Nagar polythene bag, but polythene bags were lying on the roads there, and roadside eateries were still serving food in plastic plates, spoons and forks.
Shops in the Sarojini Nagar market had put up laminated posters pronouncing "Time to say no to plastic — Fine upto one lakh".
Palika Bazaar, shopkeepers were seen refusing to provide plastic bags to customers. "Many customers have gone without purchasing items because they did not have carry bags. It is not good for business but we cannot do anything," a shopkeeper said.
At the Lajpat Nagar market, the shopkeepers claimed they have not been using single use plastic for long.