BHUBANESWAR: Even as it goes all out in enforcing the polythene ban, local protests notwithstanding, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Monday decided to prohibit sale of plastic water pouches and food besides edibles packed in plastic bags.A public notice would be issued soon in the connection. All stockists and retailers would be given reasonable time to either exhaust or shift their stocks outside the Corporation limits. The ban would be enforced in toto with the BIS certified water pouches included. Food brands and manufactures like Atta, edible oil, sugar, salt, pulses, etc. would also be intimated of the ban on polypack items in the city. They would also be given time to use alternatives before being disallowed from marketing the products here. The Government will also be moved to amendment laws to accommodate the prohibition. Adopting an aggressive stance in the aftermath of a recent untoward incident at Pithapur, when locals protested the crackdown on illegal trading in polythene and manhandled some municipal staff, the CMC has vowed zero-tolerance to polythene use and sale. Besides packaging in polythene, use of plastic glasses, spoons and utensils in functions and gatherings would also be acted upon. The High Court-instituted Monitoring Committee headed by Mayor S Ghosh and chaired by Commissioner RN Nanda with amicus curie PR Das, advocate TN Patnaik, Sub-Collector JP Das and Nodal officer PK Pradhan on Monday met to discuss the recent untoward developments. While the CMC Council at its meeting on July 29 passed a resolution to intensify the drive, the civic authorities and the committee have sought the assistance of Commissionerate police during the drive. The police have been cooperative and are ready to extend security support. Nodal officer PK Pradhan said, the moves would be accompanied by awareness and sensitisation of the public. “The citizens are also responsible for maintaining and protecting the environment and they should realise their duties by refraining from using the hazardous substances,” said commissioner Nanda.The drive has also been bolstered by the recent Central law on plastics, which has empowered the urban local bodies to not only impose severe penalties but also realise the cost of collection, segregation and disposal of plastic materials from the sellers. The State Government would be moved for inclusion of the clause in the CMC by-laws.
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