Drive against plastic to begin in Mango

Jamshedpur: The Mango Notified Area Committee (MNAC) will take up fresh drive to stop use of single-use plastic items in its command area from coming week. The local urban municipal body of Mango conducted search and seizure exercises randomly at regular intervals in 2022, but the use of banned plastic items continues.
“This year we will carry out the drive in a focused way. Awareness on the damage to ecology on using the single-use plastic items will also be increased," said city manager, MNAC, Jitendra Kumar. The official said that at picnic spots, sanitation teams found people using thermocol plates, bowls and glasses.
“Last week, 5 kg of banned plastic items was seized from the market. We have warned the shopkeepers not to use the single-use plastic items threatening them with fines on the repeat offence," Kumar said.
Further, the official said that along with search and seizure exercise, awareness programmes will be organised at different platforms all through the year, aiming to make people an integral part of the drive, which is expected to be launched this week.
The Union ministry of forest, environment and climate change imposed nationwide ban from July 1, 2022, on decorative thermocol cups, cutlery, glasses and wrapping films that are widely in use in the reception parties, besides earbuds, candy and ice cream sticks, among other things.
Citing financial loss to the industry people due to the ban, particularly to the manufacturer, stockist, supplier, and retailer, who are part of the single-use plastic items trade cycle, the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry on December 17, written a letter to chief minister Hemant Soren requesting to lift the ban on the aforementioned items, till the alternative to the banned plastic items is found.
The MNAC official said if people avoid use of the single-use plastic items such as polythene carry bags, the shopkeepers will stop keeping them covertly.