Chandigarh, Jun 16 (IANS): The Punjab Pollution Control Board, along with the local civic bodies, has seized nearly 4,000 kg of plastic carry bags in raids conducted to check the sale of the banned product in the state, an official said on Sunday.

In the day-long raids carried out at nearly 500 shops and private establishments on Saturday, over 200 violations were found, K.S. Pannu, Director, Tandrust Punjab Mission, said in a statement.

Pannu said Rs 1 lakh was collected on the spot as fine and 179 challans were issued during the drive. The biggest seizure of nearly 1,100 kg plastic carry bags was made in Fatehgarh Sahib district.

As per Sub-section 2 of Section 7 of the Punjab Plastic Carry Bags (Manufacture, Usage and Disposal) Control Act, 2005, manufacturing, stocking, distributing, recycling, selling or using plastic carry bags is completely banned in the state.

But Pannu said that despite the ban, use of plastic carry bags was still rampant in Punjab.