The Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi today directed that no person, including shopkeepers, vendors, wholesalers, retailers, traders, hawkers or salesmen, shall use plastic carry bags or plastic sheet or the like, which are not an integral part of multi-layered packaging , with thickness less than 50 microns.
The order was passed under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986.
However, plastic bags, multi-layered film or sheets that are an integral part of packaging in which goods are sealed prior to use at manufacturing units, plastic bags and sheets used in forestry and horticulture nurseries and those kinds of plastics used for packaging of medicine are exempted from the notification.
This has been done because thin plastic carry bags and plastic sheets are causing serious environmental hazards and affecting the health of human beings as well as the environment and are also blocking gutters, sewers and drains. Violation of the notification shall be penalized under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986.
