After Maharashtra, UP’s Yogi bans plastic from 15 July
07 Jul 2018
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Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday announced a ban on plastic bags, cups and glasses across the state, effective from 15 July.
Adityanath, who made the announcement during a programme in Barabanki district, said that it would be a big move for the protection of environment and also sought co-operation from the public.
“For the protection of the environment, we have decided to ban plastic in the entire state from July 15,” he said on Twitter. “I appeal that after July 15 plastic cups, glasses and polythene should not be used at any level. This will need the cooperation of all of you,” the message in Hindi, released by the CM’s office, said.
The chief minister made the initial announcement earlier on Thursday in Barabanki, while addressing a `van mahotsav’. “We have issued an order banning use of plastic in the entire state from July 15,” he said. “I appeal to the people not to use cups and glasses made of plastic and polythene from July 15. All of us have should work together for this.”
The UP move comes some two weeks after a similar ban coming into effect in Maharashtra, also a Bharatiya Janata Party ruled state.
Adityanath’s tweet did not give further details. It was not immediately clear if there were any exemptions to the ban, and no details of penalties were announced – unlike Maharashtra, where carrying plastic bags now attracts a minimum penalty of Rs5,000.
The previous Samajwadi Party government too had imposed ban on polythene bags following a court order in December 2015. The government had also issued a notification dated 22 December 2015, whereby no shopkeeper, vendor or wholesaler could use, sell, purchase or even store polythene bags. Though the ban was implemented partially for some time, its enforcement was not sustained.
“The chief minister has made the announcement today and soon other formalities would be worked out. The chief secretary has called the meeting of the senior officials of different departments in this regard today,” a senior state official told The Indian Express on Friday.
Chief secretary Anoop Chandra Pandey said, “We are working out the modalities and would soon share the details.”
