Cuttack: The municipal corporation decided on Wednesday to launch a special drive to track down places from where polythene bags are finding their way to shopkeepers and vendors.

Municipal commissioner Bikash Ranjan Mohapatra told The Telegraph that the special drive had been planned to prepare the pitch for effective implementation of the state government's ban on plastic.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced a ban on the use of plastic bags, polythene and single-use plastic in the state.

The ban will be implemented in a phased manner beginning October 2.

To begin with, the ban will be imposed in all the five municipal corporations - Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela - and Puri town from October 2, which is also the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

"For a start special squads will identify places where polythene bags are being stored before distribution inside the city," Mohapatra said.

The civic body has planned to carry out the exercise in all the wards with special squads led by sanitary inspectors. Shopkeepers will also be under the scanner. The assistance of councillors will also be sought.

"Now the ban will be on use, import or storage of non-biodegradable polythene bags, which are less than 50 microns. We have set a target to be ready by July 15 with the list of violators. They will be given a month's notice before taking any action," Mohapatra said.

Lawyer and anti-polythene activist Pravat Ranjan Dash said: "The state government's ban on plastic from October 2 will make it easier for the municipal corporation to deal with the menace."

A civic body official said the ban would be implemented in tune with the central government's Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, which imposed restriction on the use of polythene carry bags below 50 microns.

They conceded that polythene carry bags below 50 microns were being used rampantly.