In pursuance of High Court orders, the complete ban on storage, sale and marketing of polythene bags will be strictly enforced in the State. This was decided in a meeting presided over by the State Parliamentary Affairs, Finance, Potable Water and Sanitation minister Prakash Pant here on Monday.
It was decided in the meeting called in this regard that in compliance of the orders of the High Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT), notification will be issued soon. However, relaxation in exporting such material will be considered.
It is pertinent to mention here that while the High Court had ordered a complete ban on polythene in the State, the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had announced that the ban would be enforced strictly from August 1.
Though the authorities concerned have been undertaking routine drives and periodic campaigns, the ban on polythene and polystyrene has remained largely ineffective in the provisional State capital Dehradun and other parts of the State. The authorities have so far failed to put a stop to the regular supply and sale of the banned items due to which members of the business fraternity and members of the general public have largely continued to use the banned polythene and disposables made from polystyrene.