Acting on an order issued by National Green Tribunal around two years ago, strictly banning the use of polythene across the district, the civic officials have pulled up their socks now to ensure that they are not found faltering on the matter. Teams, formed at the administration level to clamp down on the use of polythene and plastic bags, are now engaged in launching drives in the district along with the health department officials. Besides, the local traders have been asked through various meetings convened in the past to fall in line or else face penalties.
Speaking of the matter, the district magistrate Deepak Rawat said, “After we launched vigorous awareness campaign we are now launching intense checking drives. Those found flouting the order are being slapped with penalty to the tune of Rs 7,000. We have asked the wholesalers of the polythene to stop selling them. If they are found violating the order their godowns would be sealed."
Two teams comprising staff members of Nagar Nigam, police and Ganga pollution control unit have been formed with the city magistrate and the city health officer as the heads.
They are now inspecting various areas of the district by way of executing the order.
It is learnt that the city magistrate Jai Bharat Singh recovered Tarpails (polythene shades) being sold outside the district hospital during the inspection conducted by the civic body-run team.
The chief medical officer Dr Praveen Kumar imposed penalty on two erring shopkeepers.
Kumar said, “Nigam has recovered nearly one quintal of polythene and penalty to the tune of Rs 17,000 has been imposed on the offenders.”
Notably, the NGT order had come in July two years ago on a complaint filed by the environmentalist M C Mehta against unhindered pollution of Ganga. The complainant had held in his petition the state pollution control board, district administration and municipal corporation responsible for the holy river's pollution.
The tribunal had ordered the officials of these units to go out on the checking rounds of the flood plains and the ghats of the Ganga to ensure that no plastic was used to pack the commodities being sold.
It had also suggested police being roped in in the matter to help the administration and the civic body by way of security. The bench had made the proper disposal of the collected waste at the approved sites and regular spray of the disinfectants mandatory.