Mysuru: The Royal City of Mysuru, which held on to its position of being the cleanest city in the country for the second consecutive term has now embarked on a challenging journey of becoming a plastic-free city.

Unlike the existing ban on plastic bags thinner than 40 microns, the new rule of the MCC intends to bring in blanket ban on usage of plastic carry bags irrespective of thickness.

The ban will come into immediate effect and those violating the rules will be prosecuted accordingly and their trade licence could be cancelled.

With the government issuing a gazette notification banning the sale and use of several plastic products in the State, the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) on Wednesday announced that manufacture, sale and use of plastic products mentioned in the notification stand prohibited in the city as well.

Quoting the notification dated March 11, MCC sources said that shopkeepers, vendors, wholesalers, retailers, traders and hawkers should not use carry bags, banners, buntings, flexes, flags, plates, and spoons and cups, table covers and runners made from plastic.

The notification makes it clear that no industry or person should manufacture, supply, store, transport, sell or distribute the products mentioned.

However, exemption has been extended to the plastic used for packing milk and other dairy product, carry bags used for packaging of goods that are sealed right at the manufacturing and processing units, plastic bags and sheets used in forestry and horticulture nurseries and those produced exclusively for export purposes in plastic industries located in special economic zones/ export-oriented units.

Punishment

The MCC may impose penalty of Rs 5,000 to Rs 1 lac and the violators may also face imprisonment of three to six months.

Over 200 women have been given with sewing machines from the MCC so that they can stitch cloth bags for usage of general public.