‘Want support to get rid of plastic bag’
23 Nov 2012 2:52 AM GMT
On the eve of the deadline of enforcement of a blanket ban on the usage of plastic bags in the national capital, Delhi government on Thursday has appealed Delhiities to give maximum support to make the ban successful.
Chief Secretary of Delhi P K Tripathi on Thursday said, ‘As we don’t have much enforcement wing and cant cover the entire city, the residents of the city should support us for this environment friendly initiative’.
Delhi cabinet passed the ban order on 11 September and the government notified it on 23 October.
Enforcement has to begin a month after the date of notification.
The ban is being enforced under the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, which carries a maximum penalty of Rs 1 lakh, and five years of imprisonment.
A senior official from Environment department, Delhi government said,’Stricter plastic ban was necessary, in part because of the failure of the last partial ban. From Friday, we will rope in the police department, food and sales division and labor inspectors to enforce the ban’.
Government officials said, it was almost impossible to enforce the ban last time around as everyone claimed they were using the bags that were allowed.
This time the ban extends manufacture, import, sale, storage and use of plastic carrybags, sheets, films and tubs as well irrespective of their thickness.
According to Delhi government, the city produces 2,50,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year and every household use about five plastic carry bags a day.
Delhi Health Minister A K Walia also said that this time the ban should be implement successfully as not only humans, animals also suffer a lot due to consumption of plastic bags from the garbage bins.
Government officials are also planning to start an awareness campaign about the separation and recycling of waste, using social networking sites, and will hand out a limited number of jute and cloth shopping bags to select Resident Welfare Associations.
Meanwhile, the new ban is giving sleepless nights to plastic bag manufacturers in Delhi, who have petitioned the Delhi high court to come to their aid. The high court has issued notices to the central government, Delhi government, the three municipal corporations of Delhi and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, asking them to respond to a petition by the All India Plastic Industries Association by 23 November, the same day the ban goes into effect.
Chief Secretary of Delhi P K Tripathi on Thursday said, ‘As we don’t have much enforcement wing and cant cover the entire city, the residents of the city should support us for this environment friendly initiative’.
Delhi cabinet passed the ban order on 11 September and the government notified it on 23 October.
Enforcement has to begin a month after the date of notification.
The ban is being enforced under the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, which carries a maximum penalty of Rs 1 lakh, and five years of imprisonment.
A senior official from Environment department, Delhi government said,’Stricter plastic ban was necessary, in part because of the failure of the last partial ban. From Friday, we will rope in the police department, food and sales division and labor inspectors to enforce the ban’.
Government officials said, it was almost impossible to enforce the ban last time around as everyone claimed they were using the bags that were allowed.
This time the ban extends manufacture, import, sale, storage and use of plastic carrybags, sheets, films and tubs as well irrespective of their thickness.
According to Delhi government, the city produces 2,50,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year and every household use about five plastic carry bags a day.
Delhi Health Minister A K Walia also said that this time the ban should be implement successfully as not only humans, animals also suffer a lot due to consumption of plastic bags from the garbage bins.
Government officials are also planning to start an awareness campaign about the separation and recycling of waste, using social networking sites, and will hand out a limited number of jute and cloth shopping bags to select Resident Welfare Associations.
Meanwhile, the new ban is giving sleepless nights to plastic bag manufacturers in Delhi, who have petitioned the Delhi high court to come to their aid. The high court has issued notices to the central government, Delhi government, the three municipal corporations of Delhi and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, asking them to respond to a petition by the All India Plastic Industries Association by 23 November, the same day the ban goes into effect.
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