The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun has achieved considerable success in enforcing the ban on polythene bags not meeting specified standards. With regular drives and seizures by the MCD officials, the use of the banned polythene bags has decreased considerably in the State capital.
Since assuming charge as the Mukhya Nagar Adhikari at the MCD earlier in July this year, Harak Singh Rawat has stepped up efforts to effectively enforce the ban on polythene bags measuring less than 40 microns.
Various voluntary organisations have also participated in awareness campaigns held to encourage the public and members of the business fraternity to use eco-friendly alternatives to polythene bags like recycled paper and cloth bags. Talking to The Pioneer, the MNA said that since the start of the drive to enforce the ban on polythene bags, more than Rs 1.50 lakh had been collected in penalty from those found flouting the ban.
It is pertinent to mention that in past years, the district administration and MCD have repeatedly tried to enforce the ban on polythene bags in the State capital but various factors have caused these efforts from achieving the desired level of success so far.
This time, the drive undertaken by the MCD has been able to considerably decrease the use of the banned polythene bags but it remains to be seen whether the enforcement of the ban will remain effective in the coming months.