COIMBATORE: The ban imposed by the Nilgiris administration on plastic water bottles and beverages packed in PET bottles came into effect on Sunday.
Collector Innocent Divya inaugurated a water ATM at Government Botanical Garden by using the facility. The kiosk at the botanical garden is one among the 68 water ATMs installed at vital locations in the district. She said that the public can avail themselves of 1 litre of UV treated and ozonised water by inserting `5 into the vending machine and for `2, they could get 400 ml of water.
Speaking to reporters, the collector said that the ban follows a high court order in this regard. “The ban would not only be on plastic water bottles alone. It is also applicable to soft drinks that come in PET bottles. We have instructed the shop owners not to sell soft drinks in plastic bottles,” she said.
The collector further said that the water ATMs would be maintained by a private agency. “A 1,000-litre tank has been established near the water ATM. Once the water level reduces, the system enabled with the Internet of Things (IoT) would automatically fill the tank with water,” she said.
Divya also warned tourists who enter into the Nilgiris with plastic bottles of strict action.