Himachal Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena on Tuesday said that from June 1, 500-ml plastic water bottles made from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) will be banned in all government programmes and hotels across the state. He said the decision has been taken in view of the environmental damage caused by plastic waste.
Presiding over a meeting held in this regard, the Chief Secretary said that the use of single-use PET bottles will be prohibited in internal official meetings, conferences and events organized by all government departments, boards, corporations and related bodies. The restriction will also apply to Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation hotels and private hotels. He said that glass bottles, water dispensers, kiosks, or stainless steel containers will be used as an alternative. Any violation of these provisions may invite fines ranging from Rs. 500 to Rs. 25,000 under the relevant laws and regulations.
The Chief Secretary also instructed departments, including Environment, Science & Technology and Climate Change, Urban Development, Tourism, Education and the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board, to carry out widespread awareness campaigns to discourage the use of small PET bottles. He also directed to take the necessary steps to strengthen recycling of single-use plastic waste in the state.
In another major initiative for improved plastic waste management, Saxena said that it will now be mandatory to install dustbins in all public and private transport vehicles in Himachal Pradesh, including taxis and tourist vehicles. He said that incidents of littering from vehicles have been observed across the state, causing pollution and clogging of drains. To curb this, the disposal of waste into public drains or sewerage has been prohibited. Accordingly, it has been made compulsory to install dustbins in all transport services operating in the state.
A fine of up to Rs. 1,500 will be imposed for littering or serving food in plastic containers and a penalty of Rs. 10,000 will be levied for failing to provide a dustbin in transport vehicles. The Chief Secretary stressed the need for a dedicated public awareness campaign to sensitize both residents and tourists about these measures. He also directed bus stand authorities and public parking owners to ensure that proper waste collection facilities are in place.