Maha: Banned plastic seized from Chakan godown

A huge cache of banned plastic was seized from an industrial unit in Chakan in Pune district of Maharashtra Saturday night, thanks to the alertness shown by state Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam.

The minister spotted a tempo carrying some plastic material while he was on his way to Ahmednagar district, a Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) official said.

"While the minister was on his way to Ahmednagar district, he spotted a tempo carrying some plastic material and upon enquiring with the driver it was revealed that thematerielbelongedto a packaging firm in Chakan," said the official.

The tempo driver led the minister and the officials accompanying him to the godown in the industrial town, located over 40 kms away from Pune.

Officials from Revenue as well as MPCB were summoned at the spot at the behest of the minister, he said.

"We have seized around 200 tonnes of raw material (used in the manufacture of packaging products such as bubble sheets, granules etc) and 26 tonnes of finished products at the unit. After conducting the panchnana, the seized materielhas been handed over to MPCB for further action," said Suchitra Amale, tehsildar of Khed region.

The MPCB is calculating the value of the seizure, she added.

The state government in March this year announced ban on the manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of plastic materials, such as one-time-use bags, spoons, plates, PET and PETE bottles and thermocol items.

The government started enforcing the ban on a variety of plastic items from June 23.