Nadeem Nadu
Srinagar: Government has once again imposed ban on polythene across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir and this drive has been started by Minister Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan.
The rural development department is launching an initiative to rid villages of polythene waste from May 11, but it has no plans ready so far on how to dispose of tonnes of accumulated polythene garbage.
Minister Haq Khan said that the department would, for now, store the generated waste at block headquarters and decide on the disposal later.
Officials said the initiative was taken after rural development minister Abdul Haq Khan issued directions for removing polythene waste from all the villages of J&K to ensure cleanliness and maintain the fertility of the soil and prevent water bodies.
Besides removing the polythene garbage, the initiative would include awareness programmes.
An official handout said Khan Announcing launch of Polythene-free village campaign from May 11, Abdul Haq said under the campaign villages will be made polythene free and the Department will not allow use of polythene in villages.
He asked the officers to select a Panchayat in every block and start waste management project in the area on pilot basis so that same can be replicated in every Panchayat later. He asked them to use labour under MGNREGA to dispose waste besides constructing vermi-composts.
Abdul Haq said that he will be personally monitoring the drive and asked the officers to submit a weekly progress report in this behalf.
He said planned development of rural areas, making J&K polythene-free, and upkeep and preservation/conservation of the water resources is the need of the hour for achieving the goal of sustainable development.
He also urged Panchayat members to take these initiatives to the grassroots level and appealed them to be proactive in their areas and plant more and more tree saplings for clean and green villages. He said the rampant use polythene has destroyed the eco-system of the valley which is considered to be heaven on the earth.
Abdul Haq said use of polythene has contaminated soil and water and proved fatal for animals as well. He said that polythene bags have been mainly responsible for the clogging of drains in cities and towns.
Those who will be caught carrying a polythene will get imprisonment of one year with fine of 5000 to people of Rajouri Reasi and 3000 fine to people of Khanmoh Pampore , Khan said.
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