In a bid to make the Rajim Kumbh area free from polythene bags, a drive ‘Swachcha Rajim-Swachcha Bharat’ is being carried out at the Mela. Senior Municipal and police officers led the campaign in the Mela area on Monday and seized the polythene bags and advised people to use only paper or canvas bags, officials said. Chief Municipal Officer Prakash Tiwari and Police Inspector PP Singh led the drive and restricted people from using polythene bags.
Tiwari said that plastic carry bags have been banned in the State since January 1 and the Rajim Kumbh Mela Coordination Committee too had appealed to make the Mela area free from plastic carry bags. Banners and posters have been installed in the Mela area to make people aware. The businessmen and traders of the city have been asked to cooperate in the campaign. Regular announcement is being made with loudspeaker in the city to sensitize people.
As a result of the awareness programmes, the people are seen carrying paper or canvas bags in the Rajim Kumbh. The sanitation workers are working round the clock to keep the Mela area free from garbage. As many as 140 sanitation workers have been deployed in the Mela area for this, Tiwari said. Besides this, the Scout & Guide volunteers and social activists are also providing support to the cleanliness drive. As many as 125 dust bins have been installed in the Kumbh Mela area while fogging is being done every evening to bring relief to the people from mosquitoes.
Drive against polythene is also being carried out n Meena Bazar, Kuleshwar temple, lomashrishi ashram and other areas, officials said. We have received good response from the shopkeepers and common people in the campaign against polythene, added Tiwari. It may be recalled that the ban on use of polythene carry bags had not been confined to only urban pockets of Chhattisgarh.
In the tribal heartland of Chhattisgarh in Narayanpur district of Bastar, the administration rigorously started implementing the order regarding ban on use of polythene carry bags across the district early this month. In February 1 itself, the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Narayanpur Deepak Soni chaired 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 had 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.
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 the year 2011, regarding proper disposal of waste plastic. The Committee has 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.
In November last year, 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 that plastic carry bags causes blockages in drains and gutters, leading to serious environmental problem. 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.