BHUBANESWAR: In its move to make Odisha free from plastic waste, the State Government on Thursday decided to invite suggestions from the public before enacting the law to ban the use of plastic products.
“The Government will come out with a notification seeking views from the public on the proposed law to regulate the use of plastic products. The provisions of the notification will be finalised within two weeks and hoisted in public domain,” said Additional Chief Secretary Forest and Environment SC Mohapatra after a high-level meeting here. Chairing the meeting, Chief Secretary AP padhi directed the department to incorporate major suggestions from all the stakeholders in the final draft to be submitted to the Government for approval.
As Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a ban on the use of plastic in a phased manner beginning from October 2, the Forest and Environment department is likely to come out with the order by September 15, Mohapatra said.
Last month, the Chief Minister said a ban on the use of plastic and harmful thermocol will be imposed in municipal corporation areas and Puri town from Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. The major cities where the ban will be imposed in the first phase include Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Samalpur, and Rourkela.
It was decided to bring out the notification using the powers vested with State Government under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. As a ban on the use of plastic products like bottles, polythene bags, and pouches need support from the public, the Chief Secretary directed departments concerned to create awareness through intensive Information Education and Communication (IEC) activities at the urban local body (ULB) level.
Padhi also directed to make proper arrangement for collection of plastics and other polythene wastes in different localities of the five municipal corporation areas where the ban will be imposed in the first phase. Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan advised enforcing the provisions through concerted action, the imposition of fines and booking of judicial proceedings.
Themes like the adverse impact of indiscriminate use and mismanagement of plastic waste, plastic and harmful thermocol waste management, observations of Orissa High Court on the matter, existing provisions for enforcement of the law, methods, and strategies to enforce the proposed notifications were deliberated in the meeting.
Senior officers of different departments and experts present in the meeting opined that the ban on the use of carry-bags and single-use plastics as well as thermocol should be imposed in the first phase as those are rampantly used in ULBs.