The New Delhi Municipal Council on Wednesday imposed a complete ban on the use of polythene carry bags thinner than 75 microns in its area with a provision of a fine of Rs 5,000 on its breach. The NDMC also plans to ban the use of virgin or recycled carry bags and other plastic commodities including polystyrene materials thinner than 100 microns from July 1 this year and those thinner than 120 microns from December 31 this year, an official said. Besides the use, the ban would also apply to the manufacturing, stocking, sale and distribution of these non-degradable polluting materials, the official said.
"The NDMC, exercising its power under subsection (z) of section 12 of the NDMC Act, 1994, has imposed a complete ban on the sale, use, stocking and distribution of plastic carry bags (virgin or recycled) less than 75 microns henceforth,” a senior NDMC official said. Drawing up a phase-wise plan to make the NDMC areas free of plastic, the civic body has also decided to prohibit plastic commodities including polystyrene expanded polystyrene shall be prohibited from July 1 while a complete ban will be imposed on the plastic carry bags (virgin or recycled) less than 120 microns from December 31, 2022.
The defaulters shall be liable to pay environmental compensation of Rs 5,000 per default. A public notice has been issued by the NDMC in this regard in accordance with the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, he said.
"Single-use plastic items like earbuds with plastic sticks, sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, stirrers, trays. wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns are being discouraged in NDMC area," the official added.
NDMC has also announced the imposition of a complete ban on the sale, use, stocking and distribution of plastic carry bags (virgin or recycled) less than 120 microns from December 31, 2022.
The civic body also urged the RWAs, MTAs, NGOs as well as government and non-government offices to join the initiatives launched by the NDMC to eliminate the plastic waste from the streets, lanes, roads and other public places. "The NDMC is organising various awareness programmes in markets, residential areas and prominent public places on behavioural change to reduce, reuse and recycle the plastic and say no to single-use plastic,” the official said.
“The NDMC area's safai sewaks will also visit shops in market areas to create awareness about this initiative," he added. The NDMC areas are home to the offices and residence of the members of the country’s central legislature, apex court and the Executive, besides those of several prominent industrialists and others.
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