State to ban plastic bottles of less than 1 lt at public functions

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 5

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said plastic water bottles of less than one-litre capacity would be banned in public meetings and tourists visiting the state must be sensitised to use jute or paper bags instead of polythene bags.

He was presiding over a state-level function organised by the department of science environment and technology to mark World Environment Day.

NGOs and officials expressed concern over the dumping of waste on the roadside and called for immediate steps to check the menace.

The Chief Minister said Himachal was the first state in the country to ban the use of polythene bags.

He said polythene was one of the major reasons for water pollution. The 2018 water crisis in Shimla was also due to pollution and degradation of water catchment areas, rivers and water bodies.

Thakur said the state government had also imposed a complete ban on the use of thermocol cutlery as it was also non-biodegradable and causing harm to the environment. Instead of this, the government had promoted the use of ‘pattals’ and ‘dona’ made of leaves.

The Chief Minister said the state government had also launched a polythene buyback scheme under which polythene was being purchased from people at the rate of Rs 75 per kg so that it did not get into the environment and could be recycled and reused. The polythene was being utilised for the metalling of roads, he added.

He said the role of NGOs, mahila mandals, yuvak mandals and the general public was vital to ensure environment conservation.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also released three publications on tackling climate change.He also presented ‘pattal-making machines’ to two self-help groups.

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CM presents environment leadership awards

In the NGO category, Healing Himalayas Foundation, Kullu, was first; The Voice, Shimla, second and Chandan Kranti, Mandi, won the third prize

Gram Panchayat, Kamroo, Sangla, Kinnaur, won the second prize in the gram panchayat category

In the industry category, M/s Torrent Pharma, Baddi, was first and M/s NTPC Kol Dam, Bilaspur, and M/S Luminous second

Swami Vivekanand Govt College, Ghumarwin, stood first in the academic institutions other than schools category

In the school category, Govt Sr School, Shamror (Solan); stood first, while DAV Sr Secondary Public School, New Shimla, and Govt Sr School, Himgiri, Chamba, was second

In the office category, SJVNL Corporate Office Complex, Shimla, won the first prize while DDU Hospital, Shimla, bagged the second prize in the hospital category.