Bhubaneswar: While the Odisha government has banned single-use plastic, the rule went for a toss as there is a free run in the circulation of the item in Bhubaneswar.
Reportedly, the government on October 2, 2018, banned single-use plastics and also implemented the rule in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) along with the Berhampur, Sambalpur Municipal Corporation, and Puri Urban areas in order to curb the environmental issues. Later, on October 2, 2019, the rule was implemented in all 114 urban areas, and the next year, this rule was enacted across the state.
Meanwhile, the outbreak of COVID-19 and a shift of priority of the local officials have resulted in the resurfacing of the use of these polythene bags in the city markets. These non-bio-degradable bags continue to be used in the city without any hindrances despite a major drive against them.
The use of plastic bags is not only rampant among vegetable vendors and grocery shop owners, but even high-end stores have failed to come out with an alternative.
The banned plastic items are found in large quantities in the overflowing garbage bins also. These plastics also get burnt along with the garbage, creating environmental issues.
Notably, the Odisha government had banned single-use plastic in all urban areas of the State since 2 October 2019. The vendors were not allowed to use polythene sheets of less than 50-micron thickness for storing, transporting, dispensing, or packaging any article or commodity or food items, consumables, packaging of milk and milk products, and edible oil in a sealed manner.
