Ban on plastic in Odisha from Oct 2

BHUBANESWAR: THE USE OF PLASTIC WILL BE COMPLETELY BANNED ACROSS ODISHA IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, SAID CHIEF MINISTER NAVEEN PATNAIK ON TUESDAY

Odisha will ban the use of plastic in five municipal corporation areas and the pilgrim town of Puri from October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti) this year.

While speaking on environmental awareness during the ‘Ama Mukhyamantri Ama Katha’ programme at the state secretariat here on Tuesday, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said the ban would be imposed in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Berhampur and Sambalpur municipal corporations and Puri town from October 2 in the first phase.

Later, the use of plastic will be completely banned across Odisha in the next two years.

“If we all plant trees and take care of it, the environment will be protected and human beings can live in good condition and we can work for the development of our family and society,” Patnaik said during the programme.

Officials said the departments of housing & urban development and panchayati raj have been asked for execute the order in urban and rural areas respectively.

The forest & environment department will monitor the plastic pollution control work across the state.

Officials said Odisha generates about 27,859 tonnes of plastic waste per annum. On January 26, 2004, the state had banned the use, sale, import, storage and littering of polythene carry bags of less than 20 microns thickness under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.