Plastic bags to be banned in Bihar from October 25

PATNA: Bihar government informed the Patna High court that plastic bags will be completely banned in urban areas of Bihar from October 25 and in rural areas from November 25. Earlier on September 24, the HC had asked the state government when it intended to notify the ban on plastic carry bags in Bihar.

Anyone found using plastic bags might face penal action with the minimum penalty of Rs 5000.

The Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) will have the right to impose the fine up to 1 lakh or/and jail to violators of the polythene ban notification, to be issued for urban and rural areas separately under the Environment Protection Act.

Advocate General Lalit Kishore gave this information to the bench headed by Chief Justice M.R. Shah and Justice Ashutosh Kumar. He said to the bench that, “there will be the complete ban on the use of plastic bags in any form from October 25 in urban areas, while it will be banned in rural areas from November 25 across the state.”

Lalit Kishore made it clear that all the types of plastic bags would be banned in the state from the mentioned dates.

2 months before, on June 23, the High court had asked the state government to make a law for banning the use of plastic bags along with a provision for the penalty for its violators. For the better implementation, the state government used media platforms to create public awareness.

In the mid of September, the state government had come out with a draft notification for a blanket ban on the manufacture, sale, and use of plastic after seeking objections and suggestions from civilians, institutions, and stakeholders.

According to the notification, the plastic bags are non-biodegradable, produce toxic gases on burning, cause blockage of sewers and drains and pose a threat to the life of cattle. No one will be allowed to store, sell or use plastic bag within the jurisdiction of Municipal Corporations and Councils and Nagar Panchayats.