HYDERABAD: Stating that the most imminent example for use of plastic material in government offices is the use of plastic bottles, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) principal secretary Arvind Kumar advised officials to discourage such practice.
“In any given congregation, depending upon number of attendees, we end up using anywhere between 10-200 plastic water bottles and it is a sheer waste. In addition, we as a normal practice are using plastic bottled water in our offices. I must add that setting an example, MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao has already stopped using plastic bottles in his office,” Arvind Kumar informed Commissioners in his letter, written to them on Wednesday.
Arvind Kumar on Wednesday issued clear guidelines for limiting the use of plastic material in all urban local bodies across the State. Instead of using plastic material, the government departments should go in for environment friendly materials (including steel/ceramic glasses). It has therefore been decided that henceforth, all ULB offices should discontinue usage and ban stocking of single use plastic items, he said.
“Strictly implement the ban on usage of plastics in government offices,” the MAUD principal secretary directed the commissioners of corporations and municipalities in the letter. “While it is easy to preach others on plastic ban, we in ULBs have an additional responsibility of ensuring that we first adopt and implement what we wish others to do,” he said.
In fact, during the review meeting held at GHMC office on Tuesday, ban on use of plastics was discussed at length. KTR, during the meeting advised that the ULBs should set an example and henceforth stop using plastic bottled water at work places, immediately.