DISPUR, Assam: The Environment and Forest Department in Assam has issued a notification to ban the use and production of plastic water bottles smaller than one litre capacity. This ban will come into force on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, meaning October 2.
Assam government last month announced its plan to ban Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) made plastic bottles smaller than one litre from October 2. The notification issued in this regard reads, “It is observed that the use of packaged drinking water bottles up to 1000 ml volume and their pollution potential is higher than packaged drinking water bottles of larger volume.”
It further added, “Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in accordance with the powers delegated to the State under Section 23 of the said Act, vide Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India’s Notification No. S.0.152(E) dated February 10, 1988, the Government of Assam has hereby prohibited the use or manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic water bottles below 1000 ml capacity in the state of Assam.”
Urban local bodies, rural local bodies, district administration, state pollution Control Board and state police will be responsible for implementing this ban on plastic water bottles.