LUCKNOW, Feb. 1 -- The availability of banned polythene in the markets even after more than a year of repeated drives and penalties sparked criticism in the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) House conducted recently, with mayor Sushma Kharkwal questioning why enforcement action has failed to reach manufacturers and wholesalers. The mayor took cognisance of the matter, issuing directives to all zonal officials and departments concerned. The mayor said penalising vendors alone defeats the purpose of the ban and fails to disrupt the supply chain. LMC environmental engineer Sanjeev Pradhan said enforcement cannot be carried out by the civic body alone and requires coordinated action involving the district administration, police and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB). Following the mayor's directions, the LMC environment department initiated steps to escalate the matter. Officials sent a written request to the UPPCB office in Lucknow seeking coordinated action and a large-scale enforcement drive targeting wholesalers and major suppliers. Pradhan said that during routine drives, teams seize polythene below 75 microns, which is banned and easily identifiable. According to LMC records, the civic body has imposed fines amounting to nearly Rs.52.27 lakh across all eight zones during enforcement drives. These fines were levied on street vendors, shopkeepers and individuals found using banned polythene during inspections carried out by LMC teams. Pradhan said around 1.5 tonnes of banned polythene have also been seized and nearly 3,000 challans issued so far. A shopkeeper from the Udaiganj area said even when shopkeepers attempt to switch to alternative bags, customers are often unwilling to pay extra and insist on free carry bags. Pradhan said a major drive was conducted around a year ago in Zone-5, including Alambagh and surrounding areas, against wholesalers. However, he acknowledged that the department lacks a robust mechanism to sustain such action. HTC...