CPCB to NGT: 18 states have completely banned plastic bags

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As told by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to the National Green Tribunal, eighteen states have imposed a complete ban on plastic carry-bags, while five other states have imposed partial prohibition at religious and historical places.

The pollution monitoring body also informed the NGT that action plan for Plastic Waste Management Rules has been submitted by 12 states and Union Territories (UTs).

"18 states/UTs have imposed a complete ban on plastic carry bags/ products. Besides five states namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala and West Bengal have imposed the partial ban on plastic carry bags/products at religious/historical places," CPCB told a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel.

They furthur added that the states and the union territories namely Manipur, Meghalaya, Puducherry, Bihar, Assam, Goa and Telangana have not imposed a ban on plastic carry bags and Odisha has not provided any detail in this regard.

The NGT directed the CPCB to submit the status report on implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 by September 30 and also ask the concerned states and union territories to take furthur action.

The CPCB said that according to provision 12 of PWM rules, 2016, amended 2018, "the prescribed authorities for implementation of Rules", 16 states and union territories have issued notices and closure directions to the defaulters in their respective areas.

These are namely Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Punjab, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala,Daman and Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Delhi, Chandigarh,Telangana and Tripura.

"Besides, it is also to be ensured that plastic carry bags /films greater than 50 microns thickness should not be manufactured, stocked, sold and used in cities/towns. SPCBs shall ensure to promote compostable carry bags certified by CPCB. SPCBs and municipalities should constitute squad to check illegal manufacturing, stocking, sale of greater than 50microns thickness plastic carry bags and uncertified compostable carry bags/products in the market," it said.

It also suggested to the authorities to ensure prohibition on littering of plastic waste at religion, historical and public places.

(with inputs from PTI)

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