Draft notification for plastic ban issued

Bhubaneswar: The State Government on Wednesday issued a draft notification ahead of the final enforcement of ban on plastics from October 2 this year.

The Forest and Environment Department issued the draft report inviting suggestions and grievances from general public on the regulations. The ideas can be communicated to the department within 15 days of the publication of the draft notification.

The state government has decided to implement ban on the use of plastics in Cuttack, Rourkela, Berhampur, Sambalpur Bhubaneswar and Puri from the eve of Gandhi Jayanti this year.

As per the drafted regulations, people have been barred from selling, buying, producing or conserving plastics in any manner. Similarly use of polythene carry bags has also been prohibited. Barring materials which are easily decomposable, bottles with capacity less than 500 ml, plastic-made materials like spoon, cups, plate, glass, straw, pouches for water and other liquid materials will also not be entertained from October 2.

However, the government has relaxed stricture on use of polythene with width less than 50 microns used for packaging, food conservation and other uses.

Similarly, use of polythenes in nursery, farming, horticulture medicines, storage of blood and other fluids for medical use, syringe and saline will not come under the purview of the restriction.