Plastic Free Kanyakumari

Tiruchirappalli (TN),May3: Kanyakumari district authorities have claimed success in making the tourist haven plastic-free from April one this year.

All four municipalities,56 town Panchayats, 99 village Panchayats have not only passed laws prohibiting use of low grade plastics and plastic articles but are observing it from April 1 this year,District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo told PTI.

The Green Kanyakumari Plan and war against plastics was launched M K Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister on December 2 last year. Sensitization of people and all stakeholders to bring about change in their attitude and then triggering off behavioural changes was the main strategy, he said.

Local political leaders also took part in meetings to stress the need for keeping the environs clean and ban use of plastics. To enlist the support of the NGOs and local leaders the Friends of Nature Society of Kanyakumari which was dormant for sometime was revived.

What made the programme a success was also the assurance that low quality plastic packaging materials would be substituted with jute or paper bags.

All local bodies in the district passed resolutions banning the use of plastics as mentioned under the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules promulgated almost a decade ago and on eve of Pongal festival (in January) it was announced that the ban would come into force from April 1 2010.

About 100 special squads were formed to ensure that plastics were not used as a packaging material after April 1.

Fine for violation was Rs.50 for the user, Rs.500 for the shopkeeper and Rs.1,000 for the sellers of plastic carry bags.

The adherence to the ban on plastic was spontaneous and overwhelming, sources claimed. All sections of society switched over to alternate packaging materials wholeheartedly swiftly and smoothly,they said. The authorities had to book just 15 cases for rpt for violation of rules in the district.

The District merchants association has hailed the move and appealed to all traders to ban plastic in their business. - Agencies
May 03, 2010

Source:news.chennaionline.com