Beed collector slaps Rs 5,000 fine on himself for use of plastic cup

AURANGABAD: Beed district collector Asteek Kumar Pande imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on himself, after a journalist pointed out to the use of plastic cups in the collector’s office.
The incident took place on Monday evening, when the district administration had called a news conference at the collector’s office to give out information on the candidates who had withdrawn from the assembly elections on the last day of nomination withdrawal.
The reporters attending the conference were served tea in plastic cups. When one of them pointed out that this was in violation of the state-wide plastic ban, Pande acknowledged the mistake and imposed a fine on himself.
Sources said that after the press conference wrapped up, Pande pulled up the officials for failing to implement the plastic ban even in the district collector’s office.
The district authorities have maintained that after the completion of the elections, the administration will focus on plastic ban implementation in the politically sensitive district.
This was the second incident of plastic use-related fine imposition at the collector’s office in the past eight days. Recently, one poll aspirant, who had come to file his nomination papers, was carrying the deposit money in coins that were kept in a plastic bag. When the officials noticed this, they imposed a fine of Rs 5,000.
The Centre and state government are making efforts to put a check on single-use plastic. As per government directives, single-use plastic has been banned at all government offices across the country. Apart from this, the state has already imposed a ban on plastic. Those found violating the ban face heavy fines. Moreover, the Election Commission of India too has discouraged the use of plastic material during poll campaigns.