Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 11 2023: Apart from distributing plastic bottle banks for installation at different locations, environment and climate change minister Th Biswajit has disclosed that 'Plastic Compressor Machine' will be activated in every district of the state soon.

Announcing this during distribution of plastic bottle banks organised by Directorate of Environment and Climate Change at Porompat on Monday, minister Biswajit said that Manipur alone produces 8219 metric tonnes of solid waste in a year.

Emphasising on reducing production of solid waste, he said that plastic bottle banks will be installed at different places of the state as part of combating plastic pollution and facilitate re-cycling of single-use plastics.

Plastic bottle banks are being distributed by state directorate of environment and climate change under District Environment Plan in compliance with the directive of the National Green Tribunal.

Every effort must be made to uproot single-use plastics but the government alone cannot achieve this objective without the support of the people, he said.

According to minister Biswajit, environment degradation is a serious global issue today and this prompted people across the globe including India to launch movement for saving the environment.

As per instruction of the Government of India, the Manipur Plastic Policy, 2022 had already been implemented in the state and violators of the Act can be penalised with imposition of Rs 1 lakh as fme and imprisonment up to five years, he cautioned.

Delivering the key note address of the function, director (environment & climate change) T Brajakumar said that there is report of Manipur producing nine metric tonnes of plastic waste.

He said that unregulated disposal of single-use plastics has severe impact on the environment.

However, efforts are being made to combat the menace of single-use plastics in the state and even implemented Manipur Plastic Policy, 2022 across the state.

Under this Act, production of half litre single-use plastic bottle has been banned in the state, he added.

According to T Brajakumar, collection of plastic waste particularly water bottles is a huge task.

However, the pilot project of collection of single-use plastics by installing iron cages at different places in Ukhrul and Noney districts proved successful.

Accordingly, steps have been initiated to install plastic bottle banks at different places of the state, the director maintained.

He also said that plastic bottle banks distributed on Monday are for three Gram Panchayat areas of Heingang AC and 40 clubs of Thongju AC.

Plastic bottle banks for 30 churches, Manipur Press Club, AIR Imphal and DDK Imphal complex were also distributed on Monday, he added.