Single-use plastic banned in Punjab govt offices

LUDHIANA: Taking a lead in banning one-time use plastic items such as straws, spoons, cups, thermocol, plastic carry bags etc, the principal secretary, local bodies department, A Venu Prasad, has banned single-use plastic in all offices under the administrative control of local bodies department from October 2.

In the orders sent by Prasad dated September 27, the department has also banned use of plastic bottles, artificial flowers, banners, flags, flower pots, plastic flexi boards, plastic folders and trays.

Plastic/thermocol disposable cutlery including spoons, cups/ glasses, bowls, forks, containers etc have also been banned. All plastic material, which has an alternative available in the market, has been banned.

The orders have been floated to heads of departments including Punjab water supply and Sewerage board, Punjab municipal infrastructure development company (PMIDC), municipal corporations and councils etc.

Officials said the initiative has been taken after a directive from Government of India under ‘Swachhta hi Sewa’ initiative and Tandrust Punjab, a mission of the state government.

CENTRE SHELVES PLAN, STATE GOVT LEFT IN LURCH

A senior official in the local bodies department, requesting anonymity, said the state was hopeful the union government would ban single-use plastic from October 2. But reports of union government shelving the plan, has left the state government in lurch.

The state was planning a massive drive to ban single-use plastic and plastic carry bags in the state.

While steps are being taken to ban single-use plastic, authorities including MC and Punjab pollution control board (PPCB) have failed to stop manufacturing, stocking, distributing, recycling, sale and use of plastic carry bags, which was banned in April 2016. However, plastic carry bags are still freely available in the market amid tall claims being made by the MC and PPCB.