The district administration has enforced a ban on plastic bags below the thickness of 50 microns at urban areas (Garhwa, Manjhiaon and Nagar Untari nagar panchayat) in the district from June 05 and slap fines on those who violate the rule.
Although the ban on plastic bags below 50 microns was notified by the state environment department on December 16, 2008, it has not been implemented strictly.
Garhwa DC Neha Arora said that in first phase ban imposed in Garhwa Muncipal Council, Manjhiaon and Nagar Untari Nagar Panchayat area only. She said that Specail officers of above council and nagar panchayat are deputed implementing authority. Defaulter would be fined of Rs. 500.
We need active participation of people, shop owner to ban plastic sell and use which enforced from June 05, DC added.
Garhwa municipality council chairman Pinky Keshari, said : “Whenever there is rain many parts of the town become waterlogged as the drains are choked with waste, mainly plastic carry bags. We have spent around Rs 2 lakh to clean up the drains this year. During the exercise, we saw that a huge quantity of plastic bags had been choking the system.
We have decided that plastic bags will be banned from June 05. A pollution charge of Rs 500 for traders and users will be imposed if the order is violated.
Yesterday, the civic body took out a rally and several schoolchildren, senior officials of the district administration, NGOs a“We need active participation of people, shop owners and traders’ bodies. We have already started an intensive awareness campaign so that the ban comes into force from June 05.”
“The procession went around all the wards of the town to spread the message that from June 05 the use of plastic bags below 50 micron thickness was being banned,” Chairman added.
“We want the manufacturing of plastic bags to stop completely.We appeal to the government to provide subsidies to the manufacturing units of cloth bags,”Pinky keshari said.