Pauri District administration has launched a drive to ensure strict execution of the ban imposed on disposable plastic and thermocol articles. In course of the drive started in Pauri by the sub-divisional magistrate K S Negi, plastic and thermocol articles worth Rs 50,000 are learnt to have been seized from three shops- two in the bus station area and the other in the lower bazaar area. Penalty of Rs 5000 was collected from each of the three shops.
Police said that the drive would gain further momentum in the coming days as there are reports of the banned articles being still used in several places like Pauri, Srinagar, Kotdwar, Satpuli and Lansdowne besides the rural areas of the district.
“Things have just started and such drives would be taken to every part of the district in line with the order of the Garhwal Commissioner Dalip Javalkar. We would focus on both the urban and rural areas of the district,” said a senior district police officer.
Notably, Garhwal Commissioner Dalip Javalkar had issued order on February 25, banning use of polythene and thermocol articles in the all seven districts under Garhwal region from March 31. The articles thus banned under the order include disposable plates, bowls and glasses made of plastic and thermocol as well as polythene bags. He had ordered seizure of such articles if found in use from March 31.
He had also asked the managements of the temples and Gurudwaras where such articles were used in bulks to refrain from using them after the order was enforced. After the order had been issued the owners of the hotels were also warned against using the banned articles and of action if the order was flouted.
A district police officer said that they are on their toes to execute the order since March 31 and the district would soon be freed from the use of the banned articles.