Kohima, June 30 (MExN): Along with the rest of the country, Nagaland will make another attempt at ‘banning’ single-use plastic from July 1.
On the eve of the ban, the Urban Development Department (re-issued) a partial modification notification to "Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change Govt. of India prohibiting identified Single-Use Plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, by 2022.”
Accordingly, the notification stated that the Governor of Nagaland has imposed a "ban on Single-Use Plastic in Nagaland" to eradicate the menace of plastic and the serious environmental and ecological challenges posed by the rampant use of plastics.
It further provided timeline for gradual phasing out of plastic similar to another issued in April last.
As per the notification manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited from July 1, 2021.
The items included ear buds with plastic sticks; plastic sticks for balloons; plastic flags; candy sticks; ice-cream sticks; polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration; plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays; wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes; invitation cards; cigarette packets; plastic or poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) banners less than 100 micron; and stirrers.
Meanwhile, it further notified that the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic “shall not be less than 120 microns in thickness from December 31, 2022.
Since September 30, 2021, the Rules ‘prohibits’ plastic carry bags having thickness less than 75 microns.
Further, a non-woven plastic carry bag shall not be less than 60 Gram per Square Meter (GSM) from September 30, the notification informed.
All other clauses mandated in the "Plastic Waste Management Rules. 2016" and "Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021" should be strictly adhered to, it added.
All Individual, Institution and commercial establishments (educational institutions, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, religious institutions/faith-based institutions, industrial establishments, banquet halls, etc.) and Central & State Government Departments / Agencies / Commissions / PSUs / Missions, etc. including Militaries/Paramilitaries in the State were directed to abide with the aforesaid ban.
“Any breach shall be liable for penalties,” it added.
