The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today issued directions to all Deputy Commissioner, Commissioners of Municipal Corporations to strictly implement ‘The Punjab Plastic Bags (Manufacture, Usage and Disposal) Control Act’, prohibiting the manufacture, disposal and usage of polythene bags from virgin plastic of thickness not less than 30 micron and size not less than 8 X 12 inches and of a colour other than specified colour.Taking an exception to the pollution being caused by the rampant use of polythene in the cities and rural areas despite imposition of ban since 1st May last year, the Deputy Chief Minister observed that authorities have been lax in imposition of ban and drains & sewerage in cities and rural areas were getting choked with the polythene. He said that even the stray cattle were becoming victim after consuming polythene. Seeking weekly report on the action taken by the various districts in imposition of ban on polythene, Badal said that an eye should be kept on the manufacturing units and selling points of polythene. He said that after imposition of ban on polythene in New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, there had been a substantial improvement in the environment. He said that we must launch a campaign to educate the masses regarding the ill effects of polythene and motivate the public to use bio-degradable jute bags. Badal said that despite ban, indiscriminate use of polythene was causing multiple problems in the society. The Local Bodies were complaining repeatedly regarding the blockage of sewerage system that was getting chocked with non biodegradable polythene. The Animal Husbandry department had also been issuing warnings that lot of stray cattle were dying after consuming waste polythene less than 30 micron from the dumping pits. The Environment of the State was also getting polluted with the large scale usage of polythene. The fertility of soil of the agrarian state of Punjab was also getting affected with the indiscriminate disposal of polythene in an unscientific manner that was making the soil barren. He also issued directions to Rural Development Department and Local Bodies department to instruct Director Panchayat and Director Local Bodies to issue instructions to all Panchayats and Zila Parishads for its implementation. According to the Act no person would manufacture or carry bags from virgin plastic of thickness not less than 30 micron and size not less than 8 X 12 inches. Every manufacturer of polythene would print on each carry bag his name, address , registration number, size, thickness and nature of plastic from it is made and codification as per IS :14534 :1998. The Act specified that no person would throw in any drain, ventilation shaft, pipe and fitting connected with private or public drainage or at any public place or in any place open to public view any non-biodegradable garbage or plastic or biodegradable garbage in a non-biodegradable bag. The Act specifies that the violation of the act by the manufacturer, carrier, user or unauthorised disposal of the polythene would attract imprisonment up to three months.According to the Act non-biodegradable plastics have been listed as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Poly Vinyl Chlorine ( PVC ), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polybutadiene Trephthalate (PBT), Acrilonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Acrylic.