Corpn collects Rs 45 Lakh from plastics ban violators

The Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash, during ‘plogging challenge’ held on Elliot’s Beach, said that the civic body seized around 245 tonnes of banned plastic items from across the city from January 1.

“We have initiated steps to send seized plastic items to Sriperumbudur, where the plastic will be converted into fuel. It will also be used to lay roads,” Prakash added.

Meanwhile, more than 300 volunteers, including Prakash and other officials, took part in the ‘Chennai Plogging Challenge’ and cleaned the beach by collecting around 300 kg of plastic waste from the sands.

Plogging is a combination of jogging and ‘plocka upp’, a Swedish term for ‘to pick up’. The trend first started in Sweden around 2016 and it gained interest worldwide. “We have started plogging in Elliot’s Beach for the first time in Chennai and we will continue to organise plogging events in all the beaches,” Prakash said.

It is learnt that, of the total violators identified, 11 violators were wholesale dealers, who hoarded and supplied banned plastic to city shops.