**Bhubaneswar:** Following the announcement by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to impose the ban on plastic use from October 2, various departments of Odisha Government and stakeholder agencies today decided to frame specific notification banning use of the non-biodegradable material in five Corporations and heritage town of Puri.
Various dimensions of the proposed notification was outlined by Additional Chief Secretary of Forest and Environment department, Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, in a high level meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at the State Secretariat here.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary made it clear that the provisions of the notification should be finalised within two weeks and hoisted in public domain inviting suggestions and objections which will be incorporated in preparing the final draft that will be placed for Government approval by mid September, 2018.
Padhi directed to promote wider social acceptance against use of plastic through intensive Information Education and Communication (IEC) activities at each Urban Local Body (ULB) level and to make proper arrangement for collection of plastics and other polythene wastes in different localities of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Puri ULBs.
Following deliberations on various themes including adverse impact of indiscriminate use and mismanagement of plastic waste, existing plastic and harmful thermocol waste management, observations of High Court in the matter, existing provisions for enforcement of the law and methods and strategies to enforce the proposed notifications, it was decided to bring out the notification using the powers vested with State Government under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
While experts opined to ban the use of carry bags and single use plastics as well as thermocol in the first phase as these are rampantly used in ULBs, Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan advised to enforce the provisions through concerted action, imposition of fines and booking of judicial proceedings.
Additional Chief Secretary of Finance department Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Principal Secretary of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Saurabh Garg, Principal Secretary of Panchayati Raj department Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Secretary of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development department Vishal Gagan, Director of Environment K Murugesan, Special Secretary of Home department Santosh Bala among others were present in the meeting.
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