Shopkeepers will have to pay a monthly fee of around Rs 4,000, or Rs 48,000 annual fee, to the civic body for selling goods in plastic bags. Also, the registered shopkeepers have to display a notice informing customers: ‘Carrybags given on payment’.

The CCP will charge Rs 4,000 from the shopkeepers for the first three months till March 31 and from April 1 full annual fees of Rs 48,000 will be taken at the time of renewal of trade licences.

With the government having banned plastic carrybags below 50 microns and charges having been levied under the Plastic Waste Management Rules from shopkeepers for selling plastic bags above 50 microns, the customers will have to pay at least Rs 5 for each plastic carrybags which are presently provided free by shopkeepers.

“If shopkeepers and vendors are found selling goods in plastic without getting registered themselves then they will be penalised under section 45 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1996, which mandates imprisonment for five years with fine extending uptoRs 1 lakh or both; in case failure or contravention continues then additional fine of Rs 5000 will be levied daily,” the notice reads.

Two years, the CCP began the process on registration of shopkeepers and vendors selling goods in plastic carrybags, implementing new rules as regards management of plastic waste.

The notification is in compliance with the directives of the ministry of environment forest and climate change.

A senior CCP official said the notification was published in newspapers but the response from shop owners was poor.

“We have now sent notices to every shopkeeper making registration mandatory, failing which trade and occupation licences will not be renewed from April 1,” the official said.

The CCP will carry out surprise checks within 15 days on shops and vendors to check unauthorised supply and sale of plastic bags in the city jurisdiction

“If anyone is found selling goods in plastic bags without getting registered then he/she will attract prosecution,” the CCP official said.

Wholesalers and distributors of plastic bags in Margao have complained against new rules on plastic carrybags. They bemoaned that they are being unnecessarily burdened with fees.

The Union ministry has notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 mandating manufacturers, importers, stockists, distributors and other sellers to comply with the rules.

As per the rules, those selling plastic bags for dispensing good and commodities must register themselves with municipalities and city corporations.

This reporter visited a few of the distributors of plastic bags in Margao and found that most of them are unaware of the rule on registration with the civic body. In fact, they were surprised to know that they have to pay fees for registration.

“If the government mandates registration with fees then why should we sell plastic bags which do not fetch us any worthwhile income?” asked S Shah, a wholesaler and distributor and the proprietor of the city-based Mahalaxmi Traders and Distributors.

Another plastic distributor said that instead of troubling them the state government should first ban manufacture of plastic bags.

“I will stop selling the plastic bags the day the rules on registration kick in. There is no profit in selling the plastic bags. Well sell them just keep rapport with our customers,” he maintained.

The plastic bags of lesser microns sold in the city come from Mumbai and Pune. They are not made in Salcete taluka.

However, there are two manufacturers – one at Sanvordem and another at Canacona – who manufacture plastic bags for the entire south Goa district.

Some distributors buy the plastic bags from these local manufacturers.