Sambalpur, March 6: The civic body will check all the vehicles to ensure that no polythene bags or associated products enter the newly formed municipal corporation limits.

A joint team comprising members of the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation, the district administration and the forest department will stop all the vehicles entering the city from neighbouring district and conduct verification of the use of polythene material.

"The team will stop all the vehicles at the entry points of the city and check whether they are bringing polythene products," said additional commissioner of the corporation Bijaya Kulange.

Since February 15, the district administration had prohibited the use of polythene bags and other polythene products below 40 microns in the corporation area.

"The corporation has seized around 10 quintals of polythene products from several shops and business establishments of the city in past seven days," said Kulange.

Earlier, the district administration, in association with a non-governmental organisation (NGO), had launched a drive to make the residents aware of ill effects of the use of polythene products. The NGO was entrusted with the task of collecting data and the quantity of polythene material being used in the city, its sources and its disposal system.

"Polythene poses a major threat to the environment. The corporation's initiative to check the use of polythene materials in the city is praiseworthy. Several shops and business establishments have stopped using polythene bags. I am happy that steps are being initiated to check the import of the polythene products from the neighbouring district as well. Emphasis should also be given on the use of paper bags instead of polythene carry bags," said Jagat Saraf, a local resident.