Vidarbha, Arvi, India: Although the Arvi Municipal Council secured second place in the Nagpur division under the ‘Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan,’ an initiative by Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Department, it has struggled to maintain control over the use of polythene bags within its jurisdiction.

Plastic bags are widely used by shopkeepers, vegetable vendors, and residents, contributing to plastic pollution in the area. After use, these bags are discarded along roadsides, creating uncollected waste. In some cases, stray animals ingest the plastic bags, which can cause health issues for them.

Despite the nationwide ban on polythene bags thinner than fifty microns, plastic bags continue to be used extensively. It is the responsibility of the Arvi Municipal Council to collect the discarded bags from roadsides and impose fines on those who use and dispose of them improperly.