Bijender Sharma/Shimla
Himachal Government would be considering imposing ban on use of plastic disposables i.e. cups, plates and glasses to further strengthen the movement of protecting environment from non-biodegradable products. This was stated by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, to the visiting Central Team consisting of Shri Satish Kumar, Director, Ministry of administrative Reforms and Dr. A.Kasturirangan, expert in Urban Planning, administrative Staff College of India at Hyderabad, who called on him here today.
Chief Minister said that the State had taken lead by initiating various steps to protect environment. He said that Himachal Pradesh was first to ban green felling, use of recycled and plastic carry bags. He said that the State had successfully launched the removal of plastic waste from public places where the awakened people of the State had come forward to lend their supportive hand in making the same a mass movement. He said that a number of Non-Governmental Organizations had also been formed to supplement the endeavours of the State Government directed towards environment protection which were rendering yeoman service to achieve the objective. He said that banning of recycled and plastic carry bags had voluntarily been adopted by the people of the State which had ensured success to the programme and with the banning of the plastic cups, plates and glasses the users would be provided with alternate paper products for disposable use by them on various occasions.
Prof. Dhumal said that the State Government was also considering transfer of all the fines collected on account of environmental challans to the Environment Fund for onward transfer to the Deputy Commissioners to implement various environment protection programmes more effectively in their respective districts. He said that such endeavoaurs were bound to give strength to the movement at the grass root level. He informed the team of the various initiatives taken by the State Government which included 9-Point Environment Pledge to school students with their daily morning prayers. He said that eco-clubs had been constituted in every educational institution and waste paper recycling units set up in different departments to optimum utilization of the waste paper and the Tourism would soon be coming out with pamphlets on ‘Mindful Travel in Himachal Pradesh’ to create environmental awareness amongst the visitors to the State. He said that plastic waste collection drive had been launched by paying the people @ Rs. 3 per kg. for use in metalling of roads and sustainably deal with the littering of plastic waste. He said that cement kilns had also been advised to process plastic waste for power generation.
Chief Minister said that mass awakening was being created through various modes to educate common man of the hazardous impact of the plastic in environment degradation. He said that zero tolerance strategy for plastic waste management was being observed in the State. He said that monitoring and regulation was being carried through effective implementation of the provisions of ban on plastic carry bags and on littering of non-biodegradable waste and by strengthening the mechanism devised for sustainable plastic waste management through ‘Eco-Monitoring Scheme’ and ‘Environmental Audit Scheme’. He said that no effort was being left undone to protect the Himalayan ecology.
The Team appreciated the initiatives of the State Government which were visible on the ground since no plastic waste had been found by them at any of the places they visited in the State. They said that the State had pioneered the crusade against plastic use in daily life and was showing the way to rest of the country to go eco-friendly. They expressed satisfaction over the achievements of the State and urged for more effective and practical measures to fully protect the environment in the Himalayan State.
Smt. Sarojini Ganju Thakur, Additional Chief Secretary detailed the inspection and meetings with the visiting Central Team to take stock of the environment conditions in the State. She said that the team would also be visiting ACC Plant at Barmana before proceeding further to district of Mandi and Kangra as also interact with the school children at various educational institutions. She said that athe team would also make field visit to rural areas around Mandi for overview of sustainable polythene waste management strategy in rural areas. She said that the team was likely to interact with an NGO at Beer in Kangra district to know their role in the environment protection.
Dr. Nagin Nanda, Director, Environment and Scientific Technology apprised the team of the future initiatives to be taken to give strength to the movement in the State.
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