The Hindu 19.12.2009
Ban on plastics takes effect from December 9
Rajesh B. Nair
| Notification on government website |
PUDUCHERRY: The territorial administration has banned the sale and use of plastic carry bags of thickness of 50 microns or below from December 9. A notification was issued by the Lieutenant Governor on December 9 with immediate effect.
The notification posted on the government website said, “the Lieutenant Governor in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 hereby directs that no person including a shopkeeper, vendor, wholesale dealer, retailer or trader, shall use sell or store polythene or plastic carry bags of thickness of 50 microns or below of size less than 8 x 12 inches.”
By the way of notification, the government also banned disposable cups and plates of thickness of 50 microns or below.
The other plastic carry bags, disposable cups and plates apart from the category mentioned above produced, used, sold or stored in the Union Territory should contain the name of the manufacturing unit, address, thickness and size of the product printed on it, the notification said.
The power to implement the ban order has been vested with Sub-Divisional Magistrates, Regional Administrators of Mahe and Yanam, Director, Department of Science and Technology, Member Secretary Pondicherry Pollution Control Committee, Director of Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Commissioners of Puducherry and Oulgaret Municipalities, Health Officers of the Municipalities, Sanitary Inspectors of Municipalities and Commune Panchayats, and Food Inspectors of Food and Drugs Administration.
The Member Secretary, Puducherry Pollution Control Committee, would act as coordinator to implement the order.
The government has convened a meeting on December 23 to finalise the action plan. Besides the implementing officers, manufacturers, retail and wholesale dealers would attend the meeting, a senior government official told The Hindu.
