The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) is gearing up to enforce a ban on polythene measuring 40 micron in thickness and 18x12 inches in dimension. The board is finalising its strategy that includes spreading awareness, asking for objection, workshops with technical sessions and co-operation from various groups.
“We will start polythene eradication programme from June 4. It will focus on spreading awareness, picking up polythene spread from localities & roads to send a message to the society,” said chairman of JSPCB, Mani Shankar.
Urging people to submit their objections to the ban by June 15, Shankar said, “After June 15 penal provisions for trading, stocking and dealing with the polythene of the said specifications in any manner will come into effect.”
The JSPCB will organise a workshop on June 5, world environment day, which will be participated by Union Minister for Small Industries, KH Muniyappa, Member of Parliament and noted industrialist, Naveen Jindal.
“We will set up a stall at the venue of the workshop where people can exchange their old clothes to get a jute bag in return,” added Shankar. The stall will be setup in co-operation with Centre for Social & Environment Research.
The board has decided to go soft initially and will rope in organisations such as Art of living, Brahmakumaris, Yog Sansthan, Indian School of Film & Theatre, Deoband Jamat and others to highlight negative impact of polythene on environment.
Meanwhile, the Ranchi District administration will set up a team comprising five policemen, 10 school students, five NCC cadets, five RMC (Ranchi Municipal Corporation) employees and 25 people from each ward to collect polythene in each ward on June 5.
Significantly, the District administration is framing legal provisions for enforcing ban and will declare polythene below benchmarks as a public nuisance.