Drive to promote biodegradable alternatives

Express News Service, express buzz, Jan. 4, 2010

CUTTACK, India - If everything moves in the right direction, Cuttack could well become the first polythene-free city of the State. For, the civic authorities have charted out elaborate plans to phase out common use of the hazardous material.

While it is set for a crackdown on production, import and sale of polythene of less than 20 microns in strength in the city, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has resolved to launch a drive to educate people on using biodegradable alternatives.

The denizens would be sensitised on using textile, jute and paper bags instead of polythene carry bags. Shops, business establishments, hotels and restaurants have already been directed not to provide their goods in the banned polythene material to the customers, Commissioner RN Nanda said.

At the same time, a coordinated effort would be made to boost availability of the alternatives like paper and jute bags. The Corporation authorities along with the District Collector would hold a meeting of agencies concerned like the district industries centre and its wings to promote manufacturing paper bags and other biodegradable packaging material.

The move would serve two purposes: helping enormously in eliminating harmful polythene and providing employment opportunities.

Polythene is the single most contributing factor to the problems of water-logging in the millennium city. The Orissa High Court is also monitoring the enforcement of ban on recycled polythene in the city.

The deluge of 2007 and even the heavy showers last year had revealed the disastrous consequences of indiscriminate dumping of polythene and plastic materials in the drains and water discharge channels. While the city witnessed widespread inundation last year, fishing out of at least five tractor loads of plastic, polythene and polymer discards at the outage point of the Main Storm Water Channel near Matru Bhawan eased out the situation within hours.

A concerted campaign would be launched to make people conscious and debar them from dumping the hazardous materials into the drains, Nanda said.