Munnar: Authorities will begin enforcing stricter restrictions on the use of plastic in Munnar from Wednesday as part of a major initiative to free the popular hill station of plastic waste.

A special inspection squad constituted by the Munnar grama panchayat will inspect shops, roadside stalls, hotels and other commercial establishments until July 10. Vendors found stocking or selling banned plastic carry bags and plastic bottles with a capacity of less than 500 ml will be issued warnings during the initial phase. From July 10 onwards, the panchayat will begin imposing fines on violators.

The drive will also target tourists and members of the public found using banned plastic products. To ensure widespread awareness, public announcements on the ban and penalties will be made across all wards on Tuesday, said S Vijayakumar, president of the Munnar grama panchayat.

Violators face steep fines
Under the new enforcement measures, the use or sale of banned plastic carry bags, plastic bottles below 500 ml, paper plates, paper cups and plastic straws will attract a fine of ₹10,000 for the first offence, ₹25,000 for the second offence and ₹2.5 lakh for subsequent violations.

Littering or burning plastic waste will invite a fine of ₹5,000, while dumping biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste in public places without segregation will attract penalties ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹10,000, depending on the nature of the violation.

Report violations, earn a reward
To encourage public participation, the panchayat has also announced a reward scheme for those who report the sale or use of banned plastic products or instances of littering. Residents can submit photographs and details of violations through the local body's official WhatsApp number. Informants will receive 25 per cent of the fine collected from the offender as a reward. The WhatsApp number will be announced after July 10.