A total ban on procurement, storage, and sale of all kinds of plastic and non-woven polypropylene carry bags will come into effect in the city Corporation limits on March 1. The ban is as part of an initiative to reduce plastic waste in the capital.
Plastic sheets and covers and disposable plastic utensils and glasses will also be prohibited. Green Protocol has been made mandatory for functions in city limits from March 1.
A resolution moved by Health standing committee chairperson K. Sreekumar at the council meeting on Tuesday was unanimously adopted. The 21 United Democratic Front members in the council had taken leave to attend a protest march in front of the Secretariat. The Bharatiya Janata Party councillors supported the ban, but its councillor Karamana Ajith demanded more time for traders to exhaust their stock. Pointing out environmental, social, and health concerns, Mr. Sreekumar said the decision to go for a total ban was a continuation of the May 27, 2016 resolution of the council that banned plastic carry bags below 50 microns; the Plastic Waste Management Rules of 1986 Environment Protection Act; and the directive of the High Court on December 8, 2016.
Expressing concern over dumping garbage in plastic carry bags and burning them on roadside, Mr. Sreekumar said there had been a considerable reduction in plastic waste in the city after the civic body prohibited the sale of bags below 50-micron thickness. He said traders and citizens had supported the cause and more awareness programmes would be launched.
Cloth and paper bags would be promoted and supplied at affordable rates. The annual plan of the civic body would be modified to include Green Protocol and financial aid would be given to Kudumbasree units for its implementation.
Mayor V.K. Prasanth said the proposed ban was another step towards banning plastic and sought the cooperation of people for the My City, Beautiful City initiative.
Verbal duel
Earlier, the council witnessed a verbal duel between the BJP and the Left Democratic Front councillors over the alleged move to include revision projects in the agenda without notice.
The Mayor said the directive from the government was received only the other day and hence the working group and standing committees were called at short notice on Monday.
The council discussed and adopted the listed agenda for the day. The council also condoled the death of former Punjab Chief Minister Surjith Singh Barnala, the late chairman of Haj Committee Kottumala T.M. Bappu Musliar, and others.
