Used plastic packets, water bottles can get you money

Bhubaneswar: Consumers can get back money upon return of used Omfed polythene packets and water bottles. This was decided at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary AP Padhi at the State Secretariat here today.

Special agents will be hired to collect plastic packets and water bottles from the users. General public will be made aware of the scheme through public notice by August end, informed Forest and Environment Additional Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra.

“General public will be asked to present their views within 15 days. Rules on ban on plastic will be implemented in the State by September 15,” stated Mohapatra.

As per reports, the Chief Secretary has directed senior officials to prepare a draft bill of the plastic ban law within two weeks. He had also directed officials to create awareness on hazards of plastic use.

Earlier, the government had announced to prohibit usage of the synthetic material at all municipal corporations from October 2.

In the first phase, the prohibitory orders will be implemented in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Samalpur, Puri and Rourkela.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, during the ‘Ama Mukhyamantri Ama Katha’ programme at the State Secretariat in July had  said that the use of plastic will be completely banned in the next two years.