Delhi government all set to ban plastic bags

Delhi Cabinet has decided to impose a blanket ban on manufacture, sales, storage and usage of plastic bags to make city clean and environment and ecology worth to live. The decision was taken at a Cabinet Meeting presided over by the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

While briefing the media after the Cabinet Meeting Dikshit stated the City Government after considering the adverse effects of plastic carry bags on the environment and local ecology, felt that plastic carry bags are littered about irresponsibly and have detrimental effect on the environment.

It has also been observed that the plastic carry bags cause blockage of gutters, sewerage system and drains thereby resulting in serious environmental and public health related problems. In order to impose a blanket ban on manufacture, sales, storage and usage of plastic bags in Delhi a notification would be issued stating that no person including any shopkeeper, vendor, wholesaler or retailer, trader, hawker or rehariwala would sell or store or use any kind of plastic carry bags for storing or dispensing of any eatable or non-eatable goods or materials.

No persons shall manufacture, import, store, sell or transport any kind of plastic carry bags in Delhi and no person shall use any kind of plastic cover or plastic sheet or plastic film or plastic tube to pack or cover any book including magazine, an invitation card or greeting card.

The notification shall not affect the use of plastic carry bags as specified under the Bio-Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules, 1998. The number of officers would be authorized to implement the notification in their respective jurisdictions. The Member Secretary, Delhi Pollution Control Committee shall ensure overall monitoring and implementation. The notification shall come into force w.e.f. the date to be decided by the Government in the official gazette.