LUCKNOW: Just 10 days ahead of the scheduled UP assembly session, the UP government on Sunday issued an ordinance banning use and manufacture of polythene, plastic bags and thermocol. The ordinance immediately comes into effect.
According to the ordinance, plastic and other non-biodegradable waste (use and disposal ordinance- 2018), vetted by UP governor
Ram Naik, the use and manufacture of polythene less than 50 micron would invite a penalty ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 lakh and imprisonment up to a maximum of six months.
The ban will be imposed in phases. The use of banned polythene for the first time will invite a penalty of Rs 1,000 or imprisonment up to one month.
For second-time offenders, the term of imprisonment will increase up to six month and penalty ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000.
Those found manufacturing, storing or transport of banned polythene or plastic bag for the first time will invite imprisonment up to 6 months or penalty from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000.
The violation of ordinance for the second time will invite imprisonment of one year or penalty up to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh.
The ordinance improves upon the UP Plastic and other non-biodegradable waste (use and disposal) act of 2000 by ensuring strict enforcement of
ban on polythene and thermocol imposition of stringent punishment.
The move comes days after UP CM Yogi Adityanath sought a complete ban on the use of polythene to save environment.
In 2015, the
Allahabad high court had directed the state government to issue a notification enforcing a complete ban on the sale of polythene in UP. In January 2016, the previous SP government decided to implement the order but was not able to execute it fully. The ban was imposed again in 2017 but the state government failed to implement it effectively on ground.
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