Bengaluru Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun's gift to BS Yediyurappa fired back.

Showing its earnestness to ban plastic, the Bengaluru civic body fined the city mayor on Saturday for presenting a gift to the Karnataka chief minister that was wrapped in plastic paper.

Bengaluru Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun had to cough up Rs 500 after she was clicked presenting a gift wrapped in plastic to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

The social media users appreciated this move by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike or BBMP after the copy of the fine was released online. "Used plastic for wrapping gift pack," the challan read.

The plastic ban came into effect in Bengaluru in 2016. The civic body has been aggressively going after merchants and manufacturers to ban plastic in the city. It has also fixed penalties on all those found manufacturing, supplying, storing, transporting, selling, distributing and using plastic in the city. It is also using technology to catch those who are caught using plastic.

The items covered in the plastic ban are plastic covers, cups, spoons, plates, flags, banners, flex, items made of thermocol (polystyrene), and non-woven polypropylene bags. According to the civic body, plastics are estimated to contribute to 20 per cent of the 4,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste generated every month in Bengaluru.

(With inputs From ANI)