No complete ban on polythene bags in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, Oct 17: The Chandigarh Administration has decided not to completely ban the use of polythene carry bags but take steps for their proper disposal.

The Administration took this decision after considering representations from dealers, manufacturers, traders association, Federation of Small Scall Indusries and the Beopar Mandal and presentations made by the Central Institute and Plastic Engineers and Technology, Chennai, regarding the proposal of the Chandigarh Adminsitration to impose a complete ban on polythene bags, according to official sources here.

The Administration is of the opinion that a large number of goods such as milk, clothes and grocery items dal and flour also come in pre-packed polythene bags which are not technically carry bags but are polythene bags and banning the carry bags will only take care of small volume of waste of polythene.

It has been decided that polythene carry bags and other plastic waste can be recycled to covert it into useful items like ropes, sanitary and pipes.

The Municipal Corporation has set up ''Sahaj Safai Kendras'' where there is proper provision of segregation of all the bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste. Polythene carry bags sorted out from the municipal waste at these ''safai kendras'' could be used for recycling and in road construction.

The Engineering Department and the Municipal Corporation will buy and use the polythene bags in road construction. Therefore, the solution lies in proper collection, segregation and safe disposal of polythene carry bags and not its complete ban, the sources added.

The Union Territory Adminsitration will now vigorously enforce its notification of September 16, 2003 vide which no person including a shopkeeper, vendor, retailer or ''rehriwala'' will supply any goods in polythene and plastic carry bags of thickness of less than 30 micros and of size less than eight inches by 12 inches.

UNI