Urban News

The Hindu 29.07.2009

Public cooperation sought in enforcing ban on plastics

Staff Reporter

Photo: C. Venkatachalapathy

Sharing experience: Regional Officer of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Y.B. Sontakke at a seminar in Puducherry on Tuesday. —

PUDUCHERRY: As a step towards implementing the proposed ban on plastic bags and cups in Puducherry, the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC) organised a seminar on ‘Usage of Plastics – Challenges and Strategies in Puducherry’ on Tuesday.

Officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCD) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee shared their experiences on implementation of the ban.

Home Minister E. Valsaraj, who also holds the science, technology and environment portfolio, delivered the inaugural address. He solicited the cooperation of the public in implementing the ban. He said that lack of civic sense was compounding the plastic disposal problem in Puducherry.

Special Secretary to Government and Chairman of the PPCC G. Theva Neethi Dhas described the event as a forum for the civil society to discuss how to use plastics in a better manner, keeping in mind, the advantages and disadvantages. Plastic manufacturers, members of non-governmental organisations and the general public participated in the event.

Y.B. Sontakke, Regional Officer of the MPCD, made a presentation on the implementation of the ban on plastic carry bags below the thickness of 50 microns and coloured recycled bags in Maharashtra. Mr. Sontakke said that the large quantity of plastic waste generated and the 2005 floods in Mumbai led the MPCD to consider the ban. Bags, cups and bottles clogged all stormwater drains and led to serious environment problems. Following a notification, the ban was imposed. This ban was strengthening the Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage (Amendments) Rules, 2003.

It has been made mandatory for every plastic bag in Maharashtra to carry details of manufacturer, thickness and weight of the bag, in order to hold the manufacturer, distributor, stockist and vendor accountable, he said. As of now, 21 plastic manufacturing units have been fined for violation of the ban, he added.

A.K. Ambasht, Member Secretary of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, also shared the experience of implementing a total ban on plastic bags in New Delhi. Several valid points were raised by the audience at an interactive session. Mr. Dhas said that the viewpoints of all stakeholders would be considered before the extent of the ban was determined.

The Hindu 29.07.2009

Corporation to spend Rs. 25 cr. on footpaths, medians, drains

Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE: The State Finance Commission (SFC) recently sanctioned Rs. 25 crore to Mangalore City Corporation for development activities, according to Mayor M. Shankar Bhat.

A major portion of this fund would be utilised for laying footpaths, constructing stormwater drains, and improving medians on the newly laid roads.

The concreting of a few more roads would also be taken up with this fund, he said.

Mr. Bhat said that the corporation would reserve Rs. 3 crore for concreting the Surathkal-MRPL Road, Rs. 2 crore each for concreting the Kuloor-Kavoor Road and the Kuntikana-Kavoor Road, and to build a market at Surathkal. Footpaths had to be laid and stormwater drains constructed on a few recently concreted roads such as Lalbagh-Bejai Road, Hampankatta Circle-A.B. Shetty Circle Road, Hamlinton Circle-Rao and Rao Circle Road, and Old Clock Tower-Rao and Rao Circle Road, he said.

Fund utilisation

The concreting of Bejai-Kuntikana Road, Lower Bendoorwell Circle-Horticulture Junction Road, Bejai-Karangalpady Road, and A.B. Shetty Circle-Hamilton Circle Road was under way. The SFC’s fund would be utilised to lay footpaths and construct stormwater drains on these roads after concreting them. The concreting of these four roads would be over by September, he said. The Mayor said that the State Government had released Rs. 5 crore to the corporation recently for calamity relief works. This fund would be utilised to repair those tarred roads which had been damaged owing to heavy rains. Each of the 60 wards in the corporation would be provided with Rs. 8 lakh to meet the expenses arising out of certain immediate tasks in their respective areas, he said.

Mr. Bhat said that when he met the Chief Minister recently, the latter had promised to grant Rs. 50 crore more to the corporation for road related works, if the civic body had utilised the entire Rs. 100-crore special grant sanctioned to it for 2008-09 and 2009-10.