Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) will launch a drive against use of plastic bags less than 40 microns thick from next Monday.

The executive and revenue officers of all four circles have been asked to ensure that such plastic bags are not manufactured.

Municipal commissioner Jai Singh issued directives to executive officers of the four circles to lodge FIRs against any person, shop or other establishment found with such plastic bags.

"Sanitation inspectors will regularly monitor shops in their areas," said a senior PMC official. "Besides, several teams are being formed to conduct raids in shops. Police forces would also be roped in if needed."

The PMC had imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags less than 40 microns in October 2013 in adherence to the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, which was notified by the Union ministry of environment and forests on February 7, 2011.

The rules included ban on manufacture and use of recyclable carry bags less than 40 microns, prohibition on use of carry bags made of recycled plastic or compostable plastic for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging food items.

Another provision states that carry bags should not be made available free of cost to consumers by retailers.

However, a majority of the provisions could not be implemented. The cost of a poly-bag less than 40 microns is around 30 paise while that of a poly-bag above 40 microns is around Rs 1.50.

As per the prohibition order issued by the PMC in 2013, the minimum price of plastic bags more than 40 microns was fixed at Rs 5.

"The idea behind fixing such a high price for plastic bags was to dissuade people from using plastic bags. The basic idea is to promote the idea of using personal cloth or jute bags," said the PMC official.

"Shopkeepers often find the price of plastic bags more than 40 microns expensive. These bags are hardly used as consumers are still not accustomed to pay for plastic bags at grocery shops," said Deepak Kumar, a shopkeeper at Ashiana Nagar. "If I am adamant, they tell me that they would start purchasing products from other shops where they get poly-bags for free. Obviously, the one which they would get for free would be less than 40 microns."

An authorised poly-bag more than 40 microns is required to have the name of a manufacturer and licence details from the state pollution control board.