Beed: Contractor fined for using plastic cups to serve tea

The district collector in neighbouring Beed has imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on a tea contractor for serving the hot bevarage in plastic cups, the use of which is banned in Maharashtra.

Talking to PTI on Wednesday, Beed collector Astik Kumar Pandey said the incident occurred during a press conference held in his office two days back.

"A press conference was called in the district collector's office on Monday and tea was served to mediapersons present there. However, one reporter pointed out that the cups in which the tea was served, were made of plastic," Beed Collector Astik Kumar Pandey told PTI.

"A closer examination of the cups revealed that they were made of semi-plastic material, which is not permissible. Therefore, my office imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on the tea contractor for using the banned material to serve tea," he added.

The Maharashtra government banned the manufacture, use, sale and distribution of single-use plastic materials from June 2018.