Dimapur, April 25 (MExN): The Government of Nagaland has imposed yet another “ban on single-use plastics” following a largely futile attempt in 2019.
On Monday, the State Government issued an order partially modifying its previous notification (No.UDD/7-GEN/07/2018) dated November 29, 2018 and June 17, 2019, and in pursuance to the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India on August 12, 2021 prohibiting identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, by 2022.
“The Government of Nagaland has imposed a ‘Ban on Single-Use Plastics in Nagaland’ with a view to eradicate the menace of plastic and the serious environmental and ecological challenges posed by rampant use of plastics,” read the notification which was issued through the state DIPR.
The notification stated that manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, have been prohibited with effect from July 1, 2022.
These include items like earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, and polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration, along with plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.
“The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than 75 (seventy-five) microns in thickness w.e.f. the 30th September 2021 and 120 (one hundred and twenty) microns in thickness w.e.f. the 31st December 2022. Further, a non-woven plastic carry bag shall not be less than 60 Gram per Square Meter (GSM) w.e.f. the 30th September 2022,” it stated.
All other clauses mandated in the “Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016” and “Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021” should be strictly adhered to, the notification stated.
The government also asked all individuals, institutions, commercial establishments, educational institutions, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, religious institutions and faith-based institutions, industrial establishments, banquet halts, etc., and central and state government departments, agencies, commissions, PSUs, Missions, etc., including military and paramilitary in the state to abide the order. Any breach will be liable for penalties, it said.
The District Administration, Sub-Divisional Administration or Urban Local Bodies will decide and levy penalties against the defaulters in their jurisdiction, it said, adding that a District Task Force already constituted in the respective district shall strictly monitor and function as squads for vigilance purposes and ensure the imposing of the ban on stocking, distribution, selling, and use of all single-use plastics below the permissible specification (microns and GSM) and stipulated timelines.
“The ban on single-use plastics shall be made effective from the date of publication of this Notification in the Official Gazette in the entire State of Nagaland,” it said.
