Hearing the PIl filed against polythene ban in the State, the Jharkhand High Court on Monday issued notices to State Government and Municipal Corporation giving four weeks’ time to file a counter affidavit.
Challenging the polythene ban in the State on the occasion of Jharkhand Foundation Day, Jharkhand Packing Material Association had filed a PIl demanding ban on polythene only below 50 microns of thickness.
“The Court of Justice Rajesh Shankar has issued notices to the State Government and Municipal Corporation and has asked them to reply within four weeks,” said petitioner’s advocate Neelesh Kumar. In the petition, the ban has been termed as completely unconstitutional as it was implemented only on the basis of a notification without publishing it in the official gazette,” he added.
“A law should be passed supported by a rule, which was not done in this case, hence the PIl was initiated in the Court,” said the advocate. Moreover, people must be given time to dispose of their stocks so that they should not suffer, which was also not done and the law was imposed without thinking about anybody, he added.
Keeping detrimental effects of the poly bags on environment, the State Government has put a ban on all kinds of polythene bags from November 15 following a cabinet decision on September 5. Ban was imposed on manufacturing, import, storage, transportation, storage and use of plastic in Jharkhand.
It was decided that the plastic containers used for carrying food items, milk and milk products packaging and plants of the nursery would not be considered as plastic carry bag and those violating the norms would be punished under section 15 of Environment Protection Act 1986.
It was said that after the gazette notification issued in this regard, no person would be allowed to use, purchase, sell, store, trade or import the plastic-made carry bags with thickness below 50 microns.