The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on Tuesday, in an unexpected stand, urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to review its penalty amount on anyone found with single use plastic and instead focus on creating awareness on its adverse impact on nature. "The objective of penalising those found with single use plastic is not to collect revenue. The adverse impact on nature is of more concern and for that, awarness among citizens is needed. The action should be enforceable, so the penalty amount should be reduced and PMC should make necessary changes in its bylaws of solid waste management," said Siddhesh Kadam, chairman on MPCB. The PMC collects fines from Rs 500 up to Rs 25,000 from those violating the ban on single use plastic. The MPCB chairperson has suggested reducing the penalty amount. The civic body and MPCB will jointly implement the ban on single use plastics and take action against those violating it, he said. Kadam said the MPCB and PMC will also commence action against RMC plants and construction sites over air pollution caused by dust from construction material. The MPCB chairman said electric and gas based crematoriums are being promoted to check air pollution. "Cremations are a sensitive and religious issue, so the civic body should balance setting up electric and gas crematoriums with those on wood pyres. We will suggest proper methods to reduce air pollution from wood pyre cremations," said Kadam. He said the MPCB will also track the pollution of Mula-Mutha river and make suggestions to the civic body. "I plan to visit the sewage treatment plan of the civic body to verify their performance and ensure untreated water is not released directly in the river," said Kadam.
