Consumers with polythene bags in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Aug. 2: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation and the district administration are set to ensure a ban on the “sale, use and circulation” of polythene in the city.

“The district administration and the corporation are working to ban polythene in the city and an awareness drive is also being conducted. We have decided to put a check on the source and point of sale of polythene in the city,” said sub-collector J.P. Das.

Das said there was still confusion in people’s mind regarding the use of polythene. A lot of awareness campaigns were launched and they had by and large been successful.

Moreover, the district administration would extend its full support to the corporation to ensure a total ban on polythene products.

The civic body is also contemplating taking stern action against traders or individuals, who are opposing the seizure of polythene stuffs during raids.

The move came after the ongoing campaign against polythene had faced stiff resistance from the traders at Pithapur. The traders recently resorted to a road blockade.

More than 150 traders had burnt tyres and blocked the road against the alleged misbehaviour of an official with a trader during a raid on July 28.

The corporation officials said a high court-constituted monitoring committee, headed by mayor Saumendra Ghose, commissioner R.N. Nanda, amicus curie P.R. Das, sub-collector J.P. Das and advocate T.N. Patnaik, had reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting held yesterday evening.

“The committee has decided to ban the sale, use and circulation of polythene bags, cups, water pouches, plates, packing materials, all types of carry bags and other items,” said commissioner R.N. Nanda.

The corporation officials said efforts would also be made to ensure that there was a complete restriction on the sale of polythene-packed foodstuff.

“We will also take action to restrict the sale of polythene-packed foodstuff and other edibles,” Nanda said.

Earlier, the corporation had announced a total ban on the use of polythene and launched a campaign from June 5. Raids were also conducted and huge quantities of polythene seized.

The ban came into effect after a series of awareness campaigns in 2009.

“We support the ongoing drive by the corporation to ban polythene within the municipal limits. However, such enforcement should be carried out in a more planned way, so that there is no recurrence of the incident at Pithapur where the drive has faced stiff resistance,” said Keshav Rout, a local resident.