The Odisha government on Tuesday ordered a ban on the use of plastic bags, polythene and single-use plastic in the State starting from Gandhi Jayanti in October.
The ban will come into force in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Puri from October 2 and in the entire State in phases over the next two years.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement to ban plastic in the State while talking about environmental awareness in the newly started “Ama Mukhyamantri, Ama Katha” (Our Chief Minister, our issues) programme.
Three departments of the State government will be assigned responsibilities to make the ban effective and control plastic pollution.
While the Housing and Urban Development Department will enforce the ban in the Municipal Corporations and urban local bodies, the Panchayati Raj Department will enforce it in rural areas of the State.
The Forest and Environment Department will oversee the plastic pollution- control measures in the entire State.
Talking about the need to check environmental pollution, Mr. Patnaik said that the use of plastic has posed a grave danger to the environment as well as the heath of children and future of human race.
Speaking about the urgent need to plant trees to save the environment, Mr. Patnaik urged the people to plant one sapling each during the ongoing monsoon season and care for those plants as their family members.