MP for Horafushi Constituency Ahmed Saleem has proposed cutting down the plastic bag fee from MVR 2 to Laari 50.
He said this while speaking during the debate on the Amendment to the Waste Management Act submitted by the MP for Komandoo Constituency Ahmed Rasheed on behalf of the government.
During the debate, MP Saleem proposed three points that need to be amended in law. He highlighted that buying plastic bags in bulk to carry fish and package food waste must be exempted from the plastic bag fee. He also proposed changing the fee system in a way that would not further increase the administrative burdens of hotels and stores.
MP Saleem also proposed cutting down the plastic bag fee to Laari 50 from MVR 2. MVR 1 equals to Laari 100.
He said that even if the fee is reduced, it can be reviewed annually and changed accordingly.
The Government started to impose the plastic bag fee back in April to further discourage single-use plastic.
In August 2023 alone, Mira collected more than MVR 1.7 million as plastic-bag fee.
