Odisha govt to pay on return of OMFED milk pouches, plastic bottles

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday said it would pay the people on returning OMFED milk pouches and used bottles from October this year.

The government took the decision after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced to ban use of plastic and polythene containers in the state from October 2.

A modality of the ban was discussed at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at the State Secretariat here Thursday.

Additional chief secretary, Forest and Environment, Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said that to dissuade the people from using plastic and polythene containers, they would be paid on returning Omfed milk pouches and plastic bottles to the agents who would be engaged in the collection of these items.

A public notice in this regard would be issued by the end of August.

“The state government will give 15 days’ time to the people for their opinion in this regard while a law to this effect would be enacted by September 15,” Mohapatra said.

It was decided to bring out the notification using the powers vested with State Government under Environment Protection Act, 1986. The experts opined to ban the use of carry bags and single use plastics to well as thermocol in the first phase as these are rampantly used In ULBs.

Urban and Housing Development as well as Panchayati Raj departments have been directed to ensure strict implementation of the ban in the urban and rural areas respectively.