Page 63 - Plastics News June 2018

in the news

Plastic drinking water pouches Total plastic ban in Manipur

banned in Ahmedabad and Rajkot soon

hief Minister N Biren Singh announced that his
he Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) and the The Cgovernment is planning to impose a complete ban
TAhmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) have banned on the use of plastic. A notice instructing shopkeepers
use of plastic drinking water pouches in the city with to replace plastic with alternative materials within
effect from June 5.While a notification in this regard three months will be issued by the government soon,
was issued by RMC commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani to he added. Speaking at a World Environment Day event
be implemented on 48 roads of Rajkot city, all gardens at Luwangsangbam, which comes under Heingang, his
owned by the RMC and all government offices in the home constituency in Imphal East, Biren said, “This is
city, in Ahmedabad the AMC announced a ban on plastic
pouches, carry bags provided by fruit-vegetable vendors part of the government’s efforts towards imposing a
and shopkeepers, among other things. The ban includes complete ban on use and sale of plastic in the state.”
plastic cups used to serve tea at roadside stalls and all Expressing concern over the increasing health hazards
plastic bags less than 40 micron thickness “People tend triggered by environmental degradation and pollution,
to throw water pouches on the roads after use, which the CM said voluntary organisations willing to take
ends up choking drainage lines,” the release stated, up waste management activities in their respective
adding that it in turn creates health problems due to localities will be provided financial assistance by the
drain water spilling out into the open. The civic body government. The campaign against pollution can be
release said that violators of this ban would be penalised successful only when people extend collective co-
under section 376 of the BPMC Act, and if required, operation to the government, he added. Biren also
under section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code which informed that a 7-km stretch of water passage at Yangoi
Maril, which had been choked with a huge volume of
plastic waste accumulated over the last three to four
decades, has been cleaned recently.Public health
engineering minister L Dikho said Manipur is a wonderful
creation of God and it is the responsibility of the

empowers a magistrate to pass an order for “removal of
nuisance”.Also according to release from AMC the civic
body, production and sale of plastic used for making tea
cups, packaged water pouches, and paan masala packets is
banned itself. The ban was enforced under the provisions
of Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporation Act 1949 and
Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, the Ahmedabad
Municipal Corporation (AMC) said in a release.On the first
day of the ban, the ward supervisory staff of the AMC
seized 344 kgs of banned plastic products and collected people to protect the beauty of the state. Agriculture
fine of Rs 3.5 lakh, it said.AMC’s health department has minister V Hangkhanlian, referring to the threat of
also served notices to 1,052 units and sealed 36 of them global warming, said it is time people take a pledge to
for flouting norms. protect the environment.

63 June 2018 Plastics News