The city of Mumbai completely plastic bags and bottles

Divyakant Solanki / EPA

Mumbai has become the largest Indian city to ban single-use plastics, and residents who are discovered using plastic bags, glbades or bottles face fines of up to 25,000 rupees (7,300 pesos) and three months in prison since Monday.

Board inspectors in navy blue jackets have been stationed throughout the city to catch businesses or residents who still use handbags. Sanctions have already begun for businesses and several, according to reports, including a McDonald's and a Starbucks, have already been fined.

The penalties range from 5,000 rupees for first-time offenders to 25,000 rupees and the threat of three months in prison.

"For pollution, it does not matter, but for people, it's a big problem," said Kamlash Mohan Chaudhary, a Mumbai resident. "People here all load in plastic bags."

Chaudhary, a taxi driver, said that he had started carrying a cloth bag and that his lamb seller had started packing the meat in newspaper.

Local media reported complaints from vendors that some inspectors use it to extort companies.

India recently organized the World Environment Day, which this year was focused on the epidemic. plastic waste. About 6,300 million tons of plastic around the world have been thrown into the environment since 1950, most of which will not decompose for at least 450 years.

Half of the world's plastic has been created in the last 13 years. It is estimated that about half of the used and discarded products, such as bags, cups or straws, were used.

India has one of the highest rates in the world, according to a 2015 survey. Scattered, cups and bags are a common sight in the streets of Indian cities and beaches and make part of the dumps the size of a mountain on the outskirts of major metropolitan areas like Delhi. Guardian