The Hindu 02.08.2012
Town panchayats to say goodbye to plastic bags
Meetings and awareness programmes planned
Town panchayats in and around Vaniyambadi might soon get
rid of plastic bags less than 40 microns thick. The panchayats have set
in motion the process to ban use of plastic in a phased manner and have
been garnering support for their initiative from shop keepers, students
and public through meetings and awareness programmes.
Following
a meeting with officials of the Department of Town Panchayat at Vellore
a few weeks ago, the town panchayats of Udayendram, Alangayam and
Natrampalli have set the ball rolling to ban use of plastic bags less
than 40 microns thick in their respective limits. They have been taking
forward the ills of plastic to the public through awareness campaigns in
the last few weeks.
“We had asked the town
panchayats to convene meetings with shopkeepers to ban the use of
plastic bags. The director of town panchayats has given instruction
across the State stating that plastic bags less than 40 microns should
be banned by September 15. We are taking steps to completely ban the use
of plastic bags less than 40 microns. Stickers would be pasted on shops
saying that plastic bags would not be used there,” Assistant Director
of Town Panchayats, Vellore, Malayaman Thirumudikari said.
He said a bye-law has been brought in to fine persons, who disposed of plastics on the roads, after September 15.
“A
resolution to this effect has been passed and the town panchayats have
been asked to put it up on the notice board calling for any objections,”
he added.
The town panchayats have been told to
conduct awareness rallies, essay writing competitions for school
students and other measures to take forward the message on ills of
plastic use, he added.
At Udayendram town panchayat,
steps have been taken to ban the use of plastic first and foremost in
the panchayat office, said its chairman A. Selvaraj. “The office staff
have been asked not to use plastic bags. A board will be put up at the
office stating the ban on plastic bags. This way, people who come to the
office will also become aware,” he added.
Next, the
town panchayat plans to bring in the ban in government offices at
Udayendram, followed by shops and hotels. “We held a meeting with
shopkeepers in this regard. We will conduct awareness campaigns for the
public,” he mentioned.
The Alangayam town panchayat
has initiated steps to take forward the ill-effects of plastic to school
students to encourage them to reduce the use of plastic. “They will in
turn inform their parents. We are also covering shops and traders
associations,” noted J. Manjula Kandan, chairperson of Alangayam town
panchayat.
Roadside awareness campaigns and
ward-by-ward campaigns have taken-off at the Natrampalli town panchayat
limits. Its chairperson Saroja Chalam said, “A meeting with shop keepers
and those running marriage halls was held. We have held a series of
meetings for banning use of plastic in the panchayat limit. Women
self-help groups have been educated in this regard.”
She pointed out that pamphlets explaining the ills of plastic use were distributed to the public.It
contains information such as – plastics are non-biodegradable, plastic
dumped on roads make the surroundings dirty and burning of plastic
causes health problems. It also dissuades people from using plastic
covers for packing hot food.
“Use of alternative
products such as paper bags should be encouraged instead of plastic. We
can reduce use of plastic in a phased manner,” she noted.
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Awareness rallies, essay writing competitions for school students planned
- Pamphlets explaining the ills of plastic use were distributed to the public
