Jammu and Kashmir State Pollution Control Board today carried out major Anti-Polythene Drive across Kashmir province.A team of SPCB officials headed by Regional Director Kashmir Dr. Syed Nadeem Hussain and assisted by officials of SMC and Forest Protection Force raided many shopkeepers in Srinagar selling their merchandise in illegal polythene bags which have been banned in the State of J&K. These raids were conducted in Dalgate, Maharaja Bazar, Lal Chowk, Kokar Bazaar and Batamaloo areas of the city in which a large quantity of banned and illegal polythene was seized.It is pertinent to note that the Governmwnt of J&K vide SRO 45 dated February 3, 2017, has banned manufacture, stocking, distribution, sale and use of polythene carry bags, plastic sheets or like, cover made of plastic sheet, plastic packaging and multi-layered packing less than 50 microns in thickness within the territorial limits of Jammu of Kashmir.
Similar anti-polythene drives were also conducted in all the districts of Kashmir viz Pulwama, Baramulla, Budgam, Baramulla, Anantnag, Kulgam and Kupwara in which large quantity of illegal polythene was seized.Regional Director SPCB Kashmir informed that similar raids will be conducted in future to curb use of polythene as part of the campaign initiated by the SPCB which is spearheaded by Minister for Forests and Environment Ch. Lal Singh. He further informed that as per the directions of the Minister, SPCB is going to launch an aggressive anti-polythene awareness and advertisement campaign in the coming weeks to sensitise the masses regarding harmful effects of polythene use.He also appealed the public to refrain from using polythene in day to day life and go for eco-friendly alternatives of polythene.