Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) will launch an intensive overdrive on January 1, 2015 to make the city free from substandard polythene bags.
RMC Commissioner Avneesh Kumar Sharan has directed the officials concerned to ensure ban on usage of polythene carry bags below the prescribed thickness of 40 microns from next year. As per the order, strict action will be taken against the defaulters post January 1. Meanwhile, the civic body has so far taken action against over 1000 shopkeepers since they failed to keep dustbin and were found littering in open.
Following RMC Commissioner’s directives , a joint team of RMC Revenue and Bazaar Department led by Deputy Commissioner, Dr lavkush Singrauli launched drive in Gol Bazaar, Banjari Road, Malviya Road, outside Motibagh park and Subhash Stadium to check if the shopkeepers are following the instruction of keeping a dustbin and refraining from throwing garbage in open. The team slapped penalty and also warned the shopkeepers of cancelling their trading licence if they fail to obey rules.
Apart from this, they were asked to ensure their participation in making the city free from substandard polythene carry bags as the civic body has decided to launch an intensive drive in this regard from January 1. The State Government had earlier released a notification for banning sale and use of sub standard polythene bags below the prescribed thickness across Chhattisgarh from January 1 next year.
Notably, Chief Minister Raman Singh had also directed the Urban Administration Department to invite claims and objections in this connection a few months back and dispose them as soon as possible after which the ban could be imposed from January 1. The Urban Administration Department in the State Gazette published on October 30 this year had mentioned that carry bags cause short term as well as long term damage to the environment.
Carry bags also choke drains, therefore after January 1, 2015, no person could store it or sell substandard carry bags below the prescribed thickness in the State. The district collectors, commercial tax officer, regional officers of State Pollution Control Board and Commissioners of civic bodies have been authorised for hearing pleas in this connection, the Gazette mentioned.
In the wake of soaring plastic-based pollution levels, the Chhattisgarh Government had directed to form district-level monitoring committees to keep a check on manufacturing, recycling and disposal of plastic-based products. Stating the main provisions of Environment Conservation Act 1986 in the circular, Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand, few months back, had stated in a meeting that plastic carry bags should be either of white colour or it should be as per the pigments approved by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
Recycled plastic should not be used in storage, transportation, distribution and packaging of food products, he said. Manufacturing, storage and distribution or sale of carry bags with thickness less than 40 microns had been banned . Plastic sachets should not be used for storage, packaging or sale of gutkha, tobacco or pan masala, Dhand said The Urban Administration Department should keep a check on manufacturing of carry bags with thickness less than 40 microns, recycling of plastic and use of sachets for gutkha tobacco etc, he said.
It is also mandatory to print the thickness of carry bag, name of manufacturer and details of registration number on each of the plastic carry bag. None of the retailers shall give away carry bags to customers free of cost.
It is noteworthy that State Government has constituted State-level Advisory Committee for monitoring the implementation of provisions of notification released by Union Ministry of Forest and Environment New Delhi in year 2011, regarding proper disposal of waste plastic. This Committee had been formed by Urban Administration and Development Department. Principal Secretary of Urban Administration Department is the Chairman of this committee.
There is a provision of including one expert from each of Environment Department, Environment Conservation Department, local Urban Body, NGO, one from industrial area and one expert from education field, as members of the Committee. Director of Urban Administration and Development Department is the Member Secretary of this Committee.