The use of plastic carry bags will be banned across Mysuru district with effect from April 5 in a bid to make the district “plastic free’’ and comply with the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016.
The district administration will also reach out to nearly 7.35 lakh households and distribute cloth bags of 5 kg capacity so as to dissuade them from the use of plastic bags.
Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri told media persons here on Saturday that these bags will also be distributed to vendors and also at major temples and be made available at a subsidised rate.
The cloth bags are being prepared by the women’s self-help groups and Karnataka State Handloom Development Corporation and will be distributed to all households free of cost.
In all, it is planned to distribute nearly 16 lakh cloth bags and this is expected to eliminate the use of plastic carry bags and reduce plastic waste and pollution.
While there are 2.2 lakh households in the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) limits, about 4.4 lakh cloth bags will be distributed by the authorities. The number of households in the 9 town panchayats across the district has been pegged at 2.89 lakh and about 5.78 lakh cloth bags will be distributed.
In rural areas, there are 4.45 lakh households spread across 8 taluks and the authorities plan to distribute 8.91 lakh cloth bags to provide the public an alternative to plastic carry bags.
The business community and the vendors will also be directed to shift to the use of cloth bags and the authorities want the public to volunteer to eschew the use of plastic bags to make the drive a success and ensure that the plastic wastes are reduced.
The bulk of pollution and garbage in urban and rural areas has been attributed to plastic with a high proportion being contributed by plastic carry bags.
