Aafrin Kidwai 
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has fined beverage makers Coke and Pepsi and bottled water maker Bisleri for violation in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) filings related to the collection and disposal of plastic waste.
While Bisleri has been penalized Rs 10.75 crore, Pepsico India Holdings will have to pay Rs 8.7 crore and Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages has been asked to pay Rs 50.66 crore fine. All companies have been granted a timeframe of 15 days to remit the penalty and fulfill the rules that have been violated.
While Bisleri penalised for 21,500 tonnes of plastic at Rs 5,000 a tonne, Pepsi was held responsible for 11,194 tonnes of plastic waste and Coke provided documents to CPCB saying it collected 4,417.78 tonnes of plastic waste for the period January to September 2020 as against a EPR target of 1,05,744 tonnes.
Other beverage makers including Patanjali were penalised for Rs 1crore while Nourishco Benevarges has been asked to pay up Rs 85.9 lakh.
Both Coke and Pepsi said they were examining the CPCB notice, reports The Times of India.
Picture Credit: Image by Pascua Theus from Pixabay
