SDMC cracks down on SUPs

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has levied penalties totaling approximately Rs 50 lakh on those caught using single-use plastics (SUP) in the last three years.

The SDMC has issued roughly 2,120 challans as part of its “plastic-free city” programme and collected 4,000 tonnes of plastic waste since June 2021. Authorities have also seized approximately 35,000 plastic bags from retailers in various markets and commercial complexes.

In all four zones, the civic agency said it has stepped up its campaign to phase out single-use plastic bags from marketplaces and business complexes.

According to the SDMC, it has been working hard to appropriately oversee the usage of plastics. Officials noted that initiatives such as ‘Why Waste Wednesdays,’ ‘Plastic Lao Thaila Pao,’ ‘Eco-bricks wall,’ ‘Project Vikalp,’ utensil stores, plastic waste processing units, and the installation of bottle crushing machines have all been launched to prevent people from using plastic bags. A ‘Swacchta Kendra’ has been established with UNDP assistance, and a plastic waste processing plant with a capacity of 5 TPD has been made operational in Dwarka. Nearly 485 tonnes of plastic waste has been recycled to make useful products at this plant, it added.

A material recovery facility (MRF) with a capacity of 100 TPD was also created at Raghubir Nagar in February this year, and the facility has recycled 23 tonnes of plastic trash so far, according to the statement. Ten agencies have also been hired to collect and transport plastic garbage from the Okhla dumpsite. 

Special teams have been formed independently in each zone to prevent cases of plastic material burning, and a close eye is kept on any such practice, according to the SDMC

A ‘City Level Task Force’ has been formed to guarantee that the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 are followed and that SUP is phased out successfully, reports PTI.