DIMAPUR:
In a bid to eradicate the serious environmental and ecological challenges posed by single-use plastic, the Nagaland government banned its use in the state on April 25.
From now on, manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, have been prohibited, said an order issued by the government on Monday. The prohibition will come to force with immediate effect, the order said.
The government has asked all individuals, institutions, commercial establishments, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, faith-based institutions, central and state government departments, military and paramilitary, among others, to comply by the order or face strict action that will be decided by the district administration, sub-divisional administration and urban local bodies.
The order is a partial modification to its notification No.UDD/7-GEN/07/2018 dated 29.11.2018 and 17.06.2019 and in pursuance to the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 notified by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change on August 12, 2021, in the Gazette of India prohibiting identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential by 2022.
An already constituted District Task Force will strictly monitor and function as squads for vigilance purposes and ensure the imposition of the ban on stocking, distribution, sale and use of all single-use plastics below the permissible specification and stipulated timelines, the order further said.