Single-use plastic ban: In light of the ban on single-use plastic items, the Delhi government will request the Centre to reduce GST on raw materials for the production of alternatives, said Environment minister Gopal Rai on Sunday. The minister chaired a roundtable with stakeholders to discuss SUP alternatives and said there is a lot of confusion among the public and even some government agencies regarding the items covered under the ban.
"We will conduct a training session for our enforcement teams so that there is no confusion while implementing the ban," he said. The government will also issue a helpline number to register complaints if action is taken for using products that are not banned, Rai said.
After some stakeholders drew the minister's attention to high GST rates on raw materials for green alternatives, Rai said the city government will write to the Centre on the issue.
The Delhi government will request the Centre to reduce GST rates on raw materials to manufacture alternatives to single-use plastics, he said. Rai also said people think a ban on SUP items means a ban on plastic carry bags and that is why there is an urgent need to create awareness among the public.
The Delhi government is also working on a website which will contain all information related to banned SUP items, their alternatives and sources of raw material to manufacture alternatives.
The action will include a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh or a jail term of up to five years or both under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, he had said.
(With PTI Inputs)
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