STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Environment and Forest Department has issued a notification asking all departments of the State Government to ensure the ban on single-use plastics in their offices.
As a follow-up of the Cabinet decision to this effect taken on July 21, 2023, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Environment and Forest has sent the notification to the additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, commissioner-secretaries, and secretaries of all departments to prevent the use of plastic drinking water bottles and other single-use plastics (SUPs) in their respective offices with immediate effect.
In the notification, the Additional Chief Secretary to the Environment and Forest Department said that there has been a rampant use of packaged drinking water bottles in official meetings, public meetings, and social gatherings. "Further, considering the damage to the environment caused by extensive use of packaged drinking water bottles and banned single-use plastic (SUP) items, the Chief Minister desires to stop usage of packaged drinking water bottles across all departments in the state, including educational and research institutes, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and autonomous bodies, as per the Cabinet decision taken on July 21," the Additional Chief Secretary said.
As an alternative, the Additional Chief Secretary suggested using drinking water from large dispensers or reusable water bottles and using reusable or eco-friendly crockery and cutlery instead of SUP items.
He further requested that all senior-most secretaries take enthusiastic actions to eliminate single-use plastics from their departments in order to set an example for the public across the state.
The notification also requested the General Administrative Department (GAD) to equip all meetings and conference halls in Janata Bhawan with drinking water dispensers and also ensure the availability of drinking water and reusable glass or paper cups along with the dispensers during meetings.
Earlier, the government issued a notification banning the manufacture, imports, stockings, distribution, sales, and use of plastic water bottles below 1000 ml capacity in the state with effect from October 2, 2023.
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