Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the state govt will launch a special drive against the growing use of plastic flowers and issue a fresh notification to ban their use at festivals, banquet halls and similar venues, while prescribing stringent fines and punishment for violators.Replying to a discussion in the legislative council, Fadnavis said natural flowers were being replaced by plastic flowers in a big way, hurting farmers and creating environmental damage. He said the govt would create a mechanism to stop the practice completely and direct the BMC to crack down on markets dealing in such material. Banquet halls and similar establishments will be served notices, and not only sellers but also hall owners where plastic flowers are used will face prosecution. MLC Anil Parab urged the govt to provide a deadline before beginning strict enforcement. Parab said an immediate crackdown could disrupt weddings and lead to the closure of halls across Mumbai. He suggested a window period for offenders to comply before punitive action begins. Accepting the suggestion, Fadnavis said the date for enforcement would be notified soon through a fresh govt order. The notification, he said, will clearly mention penalties and punishment for sellers as well as owners of banquet halls where plastic flowers are found in use. The issue was raised in the council over the large-scale sale of plastic flowers during Ganeshotsav and other festivals, with members pointing out that farmers producing natural flowers were not getting fair prices, causing major losses to cultivators and the flower market. Members also flagged the environmental harm caused by plastic flowers and asked why a ban announced in the previous monsoon session had not yet been formally notified. Environment and Climate Change minister Pankaja Munde said a complete ban on plastic and thermocol used for decorative purposes already exists under the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Notification, 2018. She said the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board also issued a circular in 2025 advising against the use of artificial flowers during the festival season. Munde said from April 2025 to Jan 2026, authorities inspected 1,24,783 establishments under the Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable Waste Control Act, 2006, took action against 3,390 violators, collected Rs 1.55 crore in fines and seized 67.54 metric tonnes of single-use plastic.
