Govt to get cracking on anti-polythene bags drive

All the districts of Raipur Division would be made completely polythene free now, officials stated.

A detailed discussion upon making the districts in the Division completely polythene and plastic pollution-free soon was held at a review meeting regarding the Clean India Mission here.

The works relating to construction of concrete toilets in houses also was taken into consideration. local urban bodies’ representatives and top officers participated in the crucial meeting. 

Principal Secretary of Urban Administration and Development Department R.P. Mandal,  Raipur Division Commissioner Ashok  Agrawal , Urban Administration Commissioner  Dr Rohit Yadav and Collectors of various districts and Commissioners of municipal Corporations, Chief Executive Officers were present at the meeting.

The Chhattisgarh government had decided to declare the State as ‘Plastic Carry Bag Free State’ and it came into effect from January 1, 2015. 

"Article 48-A of the Constitution of India envisages that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment. Hence, Chhattisgarh Government is of the firm view that plastic carry bags are detrimental to environment and also to the health of people as well as animals,’’ the Government statement added. 

It is observed that plastic carry bags causes blockages in drains and gutters, leading to serious environmental problems. In order to prevent such environmental hazards, the State Government has decided to declare Chhattisgarh State as a ‘plastic carry bag free area,’ it stated.

The State Government ordered that no person including shopkeepers, retailers, wholesalers, traders, vendors etc, should use plastic carry bags.

The State Government further ordered that from January 1, 2015 onwards, no person shall manufacture, store, import, sell or transport plastic carry bag in Chhattisgarh State.

It has been clearly stated in the notification that the words ‘plastic’ and ‘carry bags’ shall have the same meaning as defined under the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011.

The containers used for packaging food material, milk and raising plants in the nurseries are not carry bags. State Government further directs that District Collector, Officers of Commercial-Tax Department, Regional Officers of the Chhattisgarh State Pollution Control Board, All Commissioners/Chief Municipal Officers of urban local bodies of the State will implement these directions and file complaints.

It may be recalled that the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) recently ordered the officers of local bodies to strictly ban the burning of plastic and solid waste in public places in the entire State. 

In a circular to all the officers of the local bodies, the Board said as per the order of year 2000, the burning of solid and plastic waste in the open are banned and is against law.

 The circular said that it has come to the notice of the Board that the plastic waste was being burnt in the open, thus polluting the air in the vicinity. It is a clear case of violation of law, it stated. 

Stern action should be taken to prevent burning of solid waste material in the open. If any local body ignores the order then law will take its own course, the CECB stated in the circular.

The ban on use of polythene carry bags is not confined to urban pockets of Chhattisgarh.

 In the tribal heartland of Chhattisgarh in Narayanpur district of Bastar, the administration has rigorously started implementing the order regarding ban on use of polythene carry bags across the district.

 The Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Narayanpur Deepak Soni had chaired a few months back in a meeting attended by representatives of trade bodies in the district to provide them details related to ban on use of polythene carry bags.

He told the representatives of trade bodies to encourage citizens to start using paper bags or bags made of jute and cloth as an alternative to polythene carry bags.

Soni also directed officials attending the meeting to carry out elaborate publicity of the campaign using various mediums to educate citizens regarding ban on use of polythene bags across the district.