Single-use water bottles banned in Hry govt offices

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has banned single-use water bottles in all government offices in the state, in a decision that coincides with the ‘World Environment Day’ on Tuesday.

Now, only multi-use water bottles will be used in all government offices, a government spokesperson, quoting chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, said on Monday.

A slew of other environmentfriendly decisions were taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Khattar, which includes a five-point programme for maintaining ecological balance.

Banning single-use water bottles in government offices, plantation of 20 lakh saplings, replacing halogen and sodium bulbs and tube lights with LED in government offices across the state by August 15, digging of 1,000 pits for water recharging and rainwater harvesting in government buildings in 10 municipal corporations within three months and making Haryana a polythene-free state are among the decisions the government took on Monday.

Khattar directed to take up the five-point programme in mission mode and implement it within six months.

The urban local bodies department would not purchase any new stock of bulbs and tube lights other than LED. The damaged or non-functioning street lights in municipalities would be replaced only with LED.

Directing that single-used water bottles would not be used in government offices, Khattar said: “No orders will be issued for the purchase of single-use water bottles from Tuesday.”

India is the global host of 2018 World Environment Day on June 5, 2018. The state government has decided to celebrate World Environment Day in a befitting manner throughout the state, Khattar added.

A comprehensive scheme would be prepared to replace the plastic goods in the state, especially the polythene bags, he added.