After putting a full stop on the use of polythene carry bags in cities and towns, the State Government has decided to ban single-use plastic in rural areas from the coming Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, 2020.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy here on Friday.

It was also decided that plastic waste processing centres would be opened in all the districts. The women self-help groups (WSHGs) would be engaged in manufacturing paper and cloth-based carry bags which will replace the polythene carry bags in villages.

The Chief Secretary directed the Panchayati Raj Department to put systems for proper management of plastic wastes in rural areas and the Public Works Department (PWD) to use plastic wastes in construction of roads.

Notably, the single-use plastic has been banned in all urban areas of the state from Gandhi Jayanti this year. The Government has prohibited manufacture, sale, trade, import, storing, carrying, transportation and distribution of the single-use plastics.

The ban was imposed on polythene carry bags of any shape, thickness and size (excluding compostable), Polyethylene Terephthalate (Pet/Pete) bottles of less than 200 ml capacity.

The authorities also banned single-use disposable cutleries made up of thermocol (polystyrene), polyurethane and similar products, of plastic such as dish, spoon, cup, plate, glass, fork, bowl, pouch to store liquid and container of any size and shape except for packing and selling of milk and other ancillary milk products and thermocol decorative materials.