A day after banning gutka in the city, the Delhi government on Tuesday took an environment-friendly initiative by imposing a blanket ban on manufacture, sale, storage and usage of plastic bags in the city. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday. It decided that the use of plastic covers to pack magazines, invitation cards, greeting cards will also be prohibited.
After the meeting, Dikshit said, 'After considering the adverse effects of plastic carry bags on the environment and local ecology, any kinds of plastic is banned in the city now. Our major concern was blockage of sewerage network through these plastic bags, resulting in serious public, health-related problems'.
Dikshit further said, 'According to the earlier notification, no person was permitted to use plastic less than 40 microns in thickness, but now it will be blanket ban'.
According to municipal sources, around 80 per cent of the drains are choked because of widespread dumping of plastic bags in the city drains. Sources said that the government would soon issue a notification stating that no person, including any shopkeeper, vendor, wholesaler, trader, hawker or rehariwala, would sell or store or use any kind of plastic carry bags for storing or dispensing of any eatable or non-eatable goods or materials.
The ban will be enforced as per the provision of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, under which the violators could face imprisonment up to five years and a fine up to Rs 1 lakh or both.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee will ensure overall monitoring and implementation of this ban.
Green groups have been demanding a blanket ban on plastic bags in the capital for long.
Welcoming the move, an environmentalist Vijaypal Baghel said, 'Earlier in 2009, the Delhi government tried to ban plastic bags, but there were lack of strict laws, and people were not punished. This led to the improper disposal of the waste. We just hope that this time the concerned agencies implement this ban sincerely.'
Following a Delhi high court order, the government had, in January 2009, imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags in various markets, shopping malls, hotels and hospitals, but it did not produce desired result.