Orissa moots law against polythene bags

By Our Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR, MAY 2. The Orissa Government would soon constitute a task force to study the pros and cons of use of plastics and give recommendations for having a new legislation on use of polythene carry bags and other such products in the State.

This was announced by the State Chief Secretary, Mr. D.P. Bagchi, at a workshop on ``Use and Misuse of Plastics - Need for a Ban'' here today.

Favouring a ban on the use of polythene bags, Mr. Bagchi said use of carry bags made of jute, paper and other natural fibres be encouraged to check the extensive use of plastic bags, which were a health hazard and were choking drains, killing animals and polluting the environment. Measures should be taken to protect the interest of the plastic industry while making them environment-friendly, he said.

Stating that there had been no serious thinking on the issue in the State so far, Mr. Bagchi said it was high time to take a holistic view of the entire situation and have a proper law to take care of the problem.

Observing that plastic bags were a serious nuisance, Mr. Bagchi said the common man should be made aware of the dangers involved in the use of polythene bags which were non- biodegradable and disposal of the same was a difficult job.

Another fact that came to light at the workshop was that even though the Centre made it a rule in 1999 that polythene bags with thickness of 20 microns should be in use, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board was yet to procure the instrument required to measure the thickness of such bags in use in the State.

The Member-Secretary of the Board, Mr. Bijay Ketan Das, said that steps had been taken to procure the instrument required for measuring the thickness of the polythene bags available in the market. The Board, however, had asked the recycling units not to manufacture polythene bags with less than 20 microns thickness, he said.

Mr. Bagchi expressed surprise over the fact that the State Pollution Control Board was yet to procure the instrument for measuring the thickness of the polythene bags. ``We will be happy to finance it,'' he said.

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