Holi 2025: Thane Municipal Corporation takes action against single-use plastic

The civic body has started a ward committee-wise initiative to prevent the use of single-use plastic ahead of eco-friendly Holi celebrations

Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has taken action against single-use plastic in an effort to celebrate environmentally responsible Holi in the region, according to the official statement.

A total of 78 kg of plastic was seized and a fine of Rs 27,500 was collected following an inspection of around 1002 shops in the three ward committee areas of Naupada, Wagle Estate and Majiwada-Manpada.

The civic body has started a ward committee-wise initiative to prevent the use of single-use plastic ahead of eco-friendly Holi celebrations. 

As per pollution control officer Manisha Pradhan, action is being taken to coordination with the Solid Waste Management Department and the staff of the ward committee.

Meanwhile, members of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and the Thane Municipal Corporation's Pollution Control Cell launched a campaign to bandsingle-use plastic between April 1, 2024, and March 6, 2025, the statement said.

Following an inspection of 4180 establishments, a total of 2139 kg of plastic was seized, and a fine of Rs 13,56,600 was collected.

Bombay HC questions Centre on plastic flower ban

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday sought to know why plastic flowers were not included in the list of single-use plastic items banned by the Union government.

A division bench asked if the Centre thought that plastic flowers could be recycled, or are biodegradable. The HC was hearing a petition filed by the Growers’ Flower Council of India (GFCI) seeking a direction to the Centre to prohibit the use of plastic flowers

“Is the Union government sure that plastic flowers can be recycled, or that they are biodegradable? They are so flimsy. Can they be recycled?” the court asked, referring to the Centre’s affidavit stating that these flowers were not in the list of banned items.

The bench referred to a notifications issued by the Union government which stated that single-use plastics which cannot be recycled, or are not biodegradable, are banned.

“Are you sure plastic flowers cannot be included in this list?” the bench asked.

The court directed the petitioner organisation to file an affidavit in response to the Centre’s stand in two weeks.

The petition claimed that the maximum thickness of plastic flowers used for decoration is usually 30 microns. Various notifications issued by both central and Maharashtra governments prohibit the production, stocking, distribution and sale of single-use plastic items including ones which are less than 100 micron thick, it said.

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