Orders ban on use of plastic items in Govt offices
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Apr 29: The Divisional Administration in Kashmir has directed for taking a slew of measures for the management of the plastic waste across Kashmir while ordering that the plastic items such as bottles, utensils should not be allowed to be used in Government offices across the Valley.
At the same time, it has come to the fore that the administration has also directed for breaking the supply chain of single-use polythene to Kashmir while as necessary directions have been passed to DC, SSP Kulgam, ASP Qazigund for necessary action at the Jawahar Tunnel.
Officials told Excelsior that the Divisional Commissioner directed Additional Superintendent of Police Kugam /Qazigund to conduct the random checking of vehicles at the Tunnel to stop the transporting of single-use plastic/Polythene.
“The persons involved in transporting shall be strictly dealt with as per law. Further, weekly report in this regard shall be furnished to Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam and the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir as well,” officials said.
Also, the Divisional Commissioner has directed to banning plastic bottles, utensils in Government offices, and, it has been directed that plastic bottles shall not be used in any Government offices while as the Accounts Officer with the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir has been directed to purchase alternate bottles/utensils for all the sections of the office.
“It was further directed that the collected waste shall be properly dumped/managed and whosoever department is involved in dumping waste other than dumping sites shall be booked under law,” officials said while compliance in this regard has been sought from all DCs, SSPs, HODs and other concerned.
Concerning the alternate plastic Manufacturer Units, the Director of Industries and Commerce has told the Divisional Administration that the registration of 25 new units for the ‘alternate plastic’ has been done and the IEC for encouraging more persons is also going on.
“The Div Comm directed that the registration of 25 new units is not sufficient instead more and more entrepreneurs shall be encouraged and roped in.”
Further, regarding the further management of the plastic in Kashmir, the Divisional Administration has directed the Rural Development Department Kashmir to share the list of 45-50 villages of Kashmir valley with the concerned DCs for identification of land for legacy waste preferably either within the village or nearest the village.
Also, the concerned officers in districts have been told that apart from the routine market checking, interdepartmental checking squads of SMC/ULB, FC&CS, and Food. Safety, Legal metrology, Police Revenue shall also ensure anti-plastic/polythene drives in the city and town strict action shall be taken against the wholesalers/retailers, sellers dealing with the trade.
Further, the Divisional Commissioner directed all the DCs, CE PWD, PMGSY and NHAI to issue notices to the areas where tourists are visiting and roadside compound walls of tin/brick giving bad look for either removal or beautification/design of the same.
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