Page 28 - Plastics News Issue June 2025
P. 28
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
RETURN USED PACKS, GET PAID: HIMACHAL'S NEW
POLICY TO TACKLE MOUNTAIN TRASH
once the plastic pack is disposed of at the col-
lection centre," said Himachal Industries Minister
Harshvardhan Chauhan.
Meanwhile, to improve resource utilisation and
support environmental protection, the cabinet
authorised the Himachal Pradesh Forest Devel-
opment Corporation to collect minor minerals
and carry out dredging in rivers and ponds situ-
ated in forest areas.
he Himachal Pradesh cabinet has Mountain of trash
launched 'Deposit Refund Scheme 2025',
Toffering cash refunds for returned non- According to media reports, Shimla generates
biodegradable packaging to tackle waste nearly 2,800 tonnes of solid waste each month,
while Manali — a popular tourist destination —
The Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Saturday ap- produces more than 1,100 tonnes. This amount
proved a new initiative aimed at tackling non- tends to double during peak tourist seasons.
biodegradable waste. Under the plan, buyers
will pay a refundable deposit on select prod- Apart from major urban centres like Shimla,
ucts. This deposit will be returned once the used many smaller towns that draw visitors with their
packaging is handed back, according to an of- natural charm lack effective waste management
ficial release. systems. As a result, rubbish often accumulates
along roadsides and causes blockages in local
The initiative, called the Deposit Refund Scheme water bodies.
2025, will be launched on a pilot basis. It will cov-
er various types of packaging, including glass Earlier in 2018, the state government imposed a
bottles, plastic drink containers, aluminium cans, ban on the use of thermocol items such as cups,
liquid cartons, soft plastic packs, and multilay- plates, glasses, and spoons to address environ-
ered packaging. mental concerns.
The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Other cabinet decisions
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, also approved the re-
cruitment of 700 Home Guard volunteers in the In another decision, the cabinet approved regu-
Home Guards and Civil Defence Department. lar jobs for 203 Panchayat Secretaries (Zila Pari-
shad cadre) who will have completed two years
"Based on QR code scanning, the vendor will of contract service by March 31, 2025.
charge a nominal fee, and that will be refunded
28 PLASTICS NEWS June 2025
