Throwing plastic to be a cognisable offense by Dec
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 16 July 2012 17:55 IST
Goa government plans to make throwing plastic material at roadsides and on the beaches a cognisable offence.
“We will try and implement it by December”, said chief minister Manohar Parrikar in the Assembly.
While replying to the question raised by Fatorda independent MLA Vijay Sardesai, Parrikar said the government is determined to punish the offender with a severe penalty.
The government is also plan to phase out use of plastic material like carry bags, sachets and wrappers.
Environment minister Alina Saldanha said it would be brought into force after proper sensitisation and awareness programmes.
“We will also take all the stakeholders into confidence and involve them in this process”, she told the House.
Sardesai had demanded total ban of plastic material in the CRZ areas along the coast.
BJP MLA from Calangute Michael Lobo also supported the demand.
Saldanha informed the House that the government has prohibited carrying, use and sale of non-biodegradable PET bottle and plastic carry bags in certain CRZ areas in Panaji and surrounding areas up to Dona Paula.
Opposition leader Pratapsing Rane suggested that the ban be extended to the whole state rather than restricting it only tourist areas.
Porvorim independent MLA Rohan Khanute suggested that alternates to PET bottles of drinking water may also be introduced like water filters in restaurants and water stations at different places.
What the opposition leader Mr. Pratapsing Rane says is right. Unwanted plastic material should be banned all over the state. It is very easy to commit mistakes for travellers and tourists if ban is applied only in coastal area.
I dont understand where did this stupid suggestion come from. Sensitize people on how to treat plastic waste..Arresting people is absurd...We all know that implementation of this is impractical....Lets leave the plastic garbage solution to people like patricia pinto & her ilk....
While it may seem that fines and the fear of being arrested might be a deterrent, this can also be misused by the police to collect bribes or harass people. How does the Government plan to implement this is anybodys guess.