Nagaland government reiterates ban on single-use plastic items

Dimapur, April 25 (EMN): With an aim to eradicate the menace of plastics and the serious environmental and ecological challenges posed by rampant use of such items, the government of Nagaland has once again imposed a ban on single-use plastic items in the state.

“The ban on single-use plastics shall be made effective from the date of publication of this notification in the official gazette in the entire state of Nagaland,” read the DIPR update issued on Monday, April 25.

The state government had imposed total ban on single-use plastic items in 2019 and had even started initiating action against defaulters before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted its implementation.

The fresh notification stated that the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than 75 microns in thickness from September 30 and 120 microns in thickness from December 31 2022.

It further said that non-woven plastic carry bag will not be less than 60 gram per square meter with effect from September 30 this year.

It also informed that ‘the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited from July 1 2022’.

These items include: ‘Earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) banners less than 100 micron, and stirrers’.

The government said that any individual, institutions, business establishments, government departments, paramilitaries etc. found breaching the ban will be punished, with district administration, SDA and urban local bodies being given the authority to levy penalties on defaulters.

The district task forces already constituted in respective districts will strictly monitor and function as squads for vigilance purposes and ensure the ban on stocking, distribution, selling, and use of all single-use plastics below the permissible specification and stipulated timelines, added the update.