Patiala May 21, 2018: After launching the use of biodegradable carry bags from Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has got these carry bags delivered in all the major cities and town of Punjab to offer the people of Punjab a scientific and viable alternative of plastic carry bags.
Disclosing this, the PPCB Chairman, Kahan Singh Pannu said that though use of plastic carry bags are banned in the State but due to lack of viable alternative, these are being used unchecked. The PPCB approached certain firms in Chennai, Bengluru, Mumbai & Daman which are manufacturing biodegradable carry bags made from the starch of potato & maize and ensured the supply of such biodegradable carry bags to the State.
The PPCB officials then approached the traders of the plastic carry bags in the main cities like Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda and Mohali to replace the plastic carry bags with biodegradable one and to ensure that these carry bags reach the end users.
"Now these biodegradable carry bags are available all the district head quarters of the state," said Pannu.
Through Deputy Commissioners of each district, these carry bags have been delivered at chemists shops, medical stores, malls, sweet shops and grocery stores. The Municipal Commissioners and Executive Officers of Municipal Committees have been directed to implement the use of biodegradable carry bags in the market.
The District Mandi officers have also been requested to ensure the use of these carry bags in vegetable and fruit markets. Even in the hospitals, it has been ensured that biomedical waste be stored in these biodegradable carry bags to phase out the possibility of the reuse of plastic carry bags again by Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities of the State.
"Once the regular supply of these biodegradable carry bags is ensured, the strict compliance of no-use of plastic carry bags in the state shall be implemented," said Pannu expecting people of the state would soon realise the need to use these environment-friendly carry bags..