Pune: Plastic Ban At Sinhagad Fort From June 1; Tourists To Pay Deposit For Bottles
Pune: Plastic Ban At Sinhagad Fort From June 1; Tourists To Pay Deposit For Bottles
Pune: Along with issuing notices to those engaged in illegal constructions at Sinhagad Fort, the Forest Department has now decided to enforce a complete plastic ban on the premises starting June 1. Tourists visiting the fort will be required to pay a refundable deposit for plastic water bottles. Anyone found littering plastic waste on the fort will face penalties, stated Deepak Pawar while talking to Maharashtra Times.
According to a recent survey conducted by the district administration, Sinhagad is the only fort in the district still under encroachment. Hence, the District Collector had convened a meeting with officials from the Forest and Archaeological Departments, instructing them to clear encroachments and implement a plastic ban immediately. Following these directives, Assistant Forest Conservator Deepak Pawar held a meeting with vendors on Sunday afternoon.
With the tourist season beginning in June, the Forest Department is also working on launching a mobile app that provides comprehensive information about Sinhagad. The app will facilitate online booking and keep tourists informed about real-time updates like crowd levels, traffic congestion in the ghat area, and fort entry status. A trial version of the app has been developed, and it is expected to be available to the public by the end of June.
In the recent meeting, vendors were given an eight-day deadline to prepare for the ban. From June onwards, while collecting entry fees at the base of the fort, authorities will also charge a deposit for plastic bottles and bags. Vendors selling bottled water on the fort will be required to collect a deposit and refund it only when the bottle is returned. A committee of vendors has been formed to ensure smooth implementation of this plan.
Although a plastic ban was announced on Sinhagad in 2016, it failed due to lack of vendor cooperation. The Forest Department now aims to enforce it strictly with better planning and stakeholder participation.
