MPCB strikes hard, seizes 30,000 Kgs of SUP carry bags

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Sep 28 : In a significant enforcement action against environmental violations, the Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) raided a godown at Nilakuthi in Imphal East and seized around 30,000 Kgs of banned single-use plastic (SUP) carry bags.
The raid was conducted with the assistance of Im-phal East district adminis- tration, Heingnag police  and the locals around 3 pm today based on intelligence inputs regarding illegal stockpiling of prohibited plastic products in the area.
The godown is owned by Narayan Kumar (35), originally from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, and currently residing at Nagamapal.
It is reported that the inspection was obstructed by Kumar’s wife, Ranjana Saurabh (30), who denied the MPCB team and police access to the premises.
Shortly after, a team of women police personnel was summoned to the site and they escorted away Ranjana, allowing the MPCB officials and Hei-ngang police to gain access and open the godown door for inspection.
The godown was not only storing but also facilitating the clandestine distribution of these harmful materials.
Speaking to the media, MPCB member secretary  Dr Waikhom Roshan stated that the MPCB, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, and Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) have been conducting joint drives to seize SUP of thickness below 120 microns to check plastic pollution.
Saying that MPCB has been actively working to apprehend suppliers of banned single-use plastic (SUP) items at Khwairamband and other marketplaces for some time, he emphasized that their efforts have been successful with the  seizure at Nilakuthi.
He said that SUP items seized will be sent to either  Meghalaya or Guwahati for recycling.
He also appealed to the people to not use banned SUP items.