IAS Officer Gets Called Out For Serving Tea In Plastic Cups, Fines Himself ₹5000

To curb the growing plastic pollution problem, all government offices across the country are now required to go plastic-free. News18 reports that the Election Commission has also enforced a ban on single-use plastics during campaigning. This is why people are looking at fresh and inventive ways of replacing single-use plastics with biodegradable alternatives like bamboo water bottles, edible pasta straws, and utensils made out of clay.

On October 7, Beed district collector Asteek Kumar Pande held a press conference at his office to apprise the media of the candidates who had withdrawn from the assembly elections. But the journalists present were offered tea in use and throw cups despite both sale and use of plastics being banned in the state of Maharashtra.

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According to The Times of India, after he was called out for the same by a journalist, Mr.Pande admitted to his mistake and imposed a Rs.5000 penalty on himself.

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Before this incident, a poll aspirant was fined Rs.5000 for bringing money in a plastic bag to the office to file his nomination papers. The district collector thus came down heavily on the officials for a lapse in the implementation of the ban.

We’re glad that officials are leading the way by owning up to their mistakes instead of giving excuses and avoiding fines.

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