No polythenes allowed in Chilika: Orissa govt

Bhubaneswar, July 26 (UNI) To keep Chilika free from pollution, Orissa government has yesterday passed an order to ban the use of polythene in and around this largest brackish water lagoon of Asia official sources said here today.

They said the polythene carry bags with less than 20 microns thickness were banned in the jurisdiction of the Chilika Development Authority (CDA).

The government had authorised the Chief Executive and Additional Chief Executive of CDA to enforce the ban immediately.

People were directed not to carry polythene bags with less than 20 micron thickness in the water spread areas of Chilika lake, mudflats, marshes, islands and tidal zones, sea shore along Chilika lake and within 500 metres from the highest water line of the land-ward boundary of the lake.

In another development, the government had declared the Chief Executive and the Additional Chief Executive of CDA as Wildlife Wardens of Chilika lagoon under Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

The wardens, the order said, could file complaint in the courts taking cognizance of offences under the Act. They were also empowered to enter any premises, search, arrest and detain any person under Section 50 of the Act.

UNI