DW BUREAU / Chandigarh In order to completely eliminate single-use plastic in the State, Haryana Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan has asked officers to identify the recyclers and scrap dealers of used plastics in the State and get them registered under their respective urban local bodies or gram panchayats. Apart from this, the Urban Local Bodies or Gram Panchayat has also been directed to take the report of plastic waste collection and transportation every month from each unit and send this report to the headquarters. The Chief Secretary was presiding over a meeting regarding effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 to completely eliminate single use plastic in the State. He directed to identify all types of plastic manufacturers in the State. For this, directions were given to constitute a team at the district level, which would include officers of various departments. He also directed that under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), producers, brand owners, manufacturers and wholesalers should be associated with the urban local bodies or gram panchayats, so that the city or village itself will be responsible for the disposal of 100% plastic waste or involve agencies or producers to set up infrastructure for segregation, collection, storage, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste. Apart from this, it should be ensured that the plastic waste is recycled through registered recyclers. The Chief Secretary said that the officers should ensure that no retailer and street vendors give the items in carry bags made of plastic or plastic sheets or any other packaging material which is not as per the norms prescribed under the rules. A special campaign should be launched to ensure that the banned plastic items are not reused and if anyone is found violating the rules, strict action should be taken against them. He said that a massive public awareness campaign should be launched to reduce the use of plastic. He also directed that the non-recyclable plastic waste should be used more and more in road construction. It was informed in the meeting that the Haryana Government has already banned carry bags and other plastic items. Apart from this, kitchenware such as cups, plates, glasses, etc. and industrial packing which is made of less than 50 microns will also be banned. In addition to the above, plastic sticks used for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, single-use pans, decoration materials, packing sheets, plastic ribbons, straws that come with tetra packs, sealed drinking water glasses, plastic mineral water pouches etc. will also be banned. (editor@dailyworld.in)