In its fight against the rising plastic pollution in Vizag, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has imposed an unconditional ban on single-use and reusable plastics. Marking the World Environment Day, the GVMC will enforce this ban from 5 June 2022. Violators will be fined for using any single-use or non-biodegradable plastics.
Stating the use of plastics as a threat to the environment, the Vizag locals are being advised by the GVMC officials to come up with alternate solutions. Commercial entities such as stores, shopping malls, medical shops etc are asked to provide eco-friendly alternatives to consumers. The GVMC Commissioner G Lakshmisha IAS has appealed to the NGOs and other cooperative societies to produce paper and jute bags as a replacement for plastics.
GVMC is also said to advise places of worship to avoid plastics within the premises of temples. The civic body aims at achieving zero-plastic usage in Vizag within one year from the date of imposing the ban.
Recently, a mega beach clean-up drive was conducted on 16 May, in which 65 tonnes of litter, majoring comprising plastic waste, was collected at various beaches in Vizag. Visakhapatnam District Collector A Mallikarjuna IAS, VMRDA Chairperson, GVMC Commissioner, and other district officials have taken part in the Sagara Teera Swacchta clean-up drive.
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