Plastic ban in Odisha from Gandhi Jayanti: Naveen

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced to impose a ban on the use of plastic in the state from October 2, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

He said the use of plastic will be banned in all the municipal corporations and Puri from October 2 while the ban will come into effect in all over the state in next two years.

The plastic bags, polyethylenes and single-use plastic materials will be completely banned across the state in next two years, said the Chief Minister.

The plastic ban in Odisha will be imposed in Puri and five municipal corporations including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela in the first phase.

The Chief Minister appealed the people to come forth and cooperate in making the plastic ban in Odisha a success.

The Housing and Urban Development Department and the Panchayati Raj (PR) Department has been entrusted to enforce the ban in urban and rural areas respectively. Forest and Environment Department will monitor the controlling of plastic pollution in the state.

Patnaik suggested everyone plant a sapling each during the rainy season to protect the environment.

“Tree is a part and parcel of our culture. All know very well about the importance of tree for the living beings. Hence, each one should plant one tree sapling in this ongoing rainy season and take care of it like one’s family member,” said the Chief Minister.

He said the volume of forests in Odisha is growing and is ahead of the national average in last few years.