Delhi to become plastic-free state

Apr 05, 2011 |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

The Delhi Cabinet on Monday gave its nod to a proposal to impose a blanket ban on manufacture, sale, storage and usage of plastic bags in the capital. The move comes in the backdrop of flouting of ban on the usage of plastic bags in various parts of the capital by shopkeepers. Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit told reporters after

the Cabinet meeting that the capital city is all set to become a plastic free state. “The Cabinet has given its nod to a proposal for imposing a blanket ban on manufacture, sale, storage and usage of plastic bags in the capital city under Section-5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,” Ms Dikshit told the reporters.
The Delhi government is going to issue instructions to the MCD, NDMC, and the Delhi police to strictly enforce the ban. In 2008, the Delhi government had enacted an amendment in the principal act by which the thickness of plastic bags had been increased from the existing 20 microns to 40 microns for the manufactures.
“The city government had forbidden sales, storage and usage of all kinds of plastic bags in certain notified places on January 7, 2009 as per the direction of the Delhi high court. The notified placed included all 5 and 4 star hotels, hospitals with 100 or more beds except the use of plastic bags as prescribed under Bio-Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules-1998, all restaurant and eating places having seating capacity of more than 50 seats and others,” a statement issued by the chief minister’s office stated. However, it was observed after the ban that the street vegetable and fruits vendors daily and weekly subzi markets were still using the plastic bags.
Further fines ranging from `10,000 to `1 lakh has been imposed on the violators by the city government against the violators of the ban. “The government has since decided to repeal the existing Delhi Degradable Plastic Bags (Manufacturing, Sales and Usage) and Garbage (Controlled) Act-2000 along with Rules and Notification,” the CM’s office stated.

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