While the State Government decided to impose a blanket ban on single-use plastics in all villages from October 2, 2020, it is yet to come out with a notification in this regard.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik way back in 2018 on the Gandhi Jayanti Day (October 2) announced a ban on single-use plastic in major urban areas like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Brahmapur, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Puri.
Following the Union Government’s footsteps, the State Government introduced the ban in all 114 urban local bodies (ULBs) on October 2, 2019. The ban procedures were intimated and the guidelines, which are applicable to the towns, were issued.
And on October 2, 2019, it was also decided that the ban would be enforced in all the villages. In fact, the Government decided to completely prohibit the use of plastic all over the State.
Measures are being taken to ensure 100-per cent enforcement of the ban in the ULBs. After achieving the target in the ULBs, the same modalities were to be prepared for the villages to enforce the ban in a vigorous way. The gram panchayats were to be empowered to implement the ban. Accordingly, a massive awareness programme to educate the villagers about the same was to be organised on a mission mode.
In case of towns, the ULBs act as enforcement agencies and squads were formed and raids were conducted at plastic bag making units, wholesalers and traders.
Though the ban was initially followed by many, it lost the momentum in a few days. However, a blanket ban in villages is yet to be notified. So, the single-use plastic manufacturers are pumping their products in village markets in a big way.
