Sambalpur, Sept. 24: The ban on polythene imposed here by the Sambalpur Municipality has failed to yield any result.

Though nine months have passed since the civic body imposed the ban on the use of polythene carry bags, shopkeepers and vendors in this town continue to hand out goods to customers in such bags.

The Sambalpur Municipality had clamped the ban on the use of polythene carry bags on January 1. It had launched an extensive campaign to create awareness among people on the environmental hazards of polythene carry bags. The municipality had also decided to slap a fine on polythene users following enforcement of the ban in January, but all this has remained on pen and paper only.

“Polythene is a major pollutant in the town. Polythene carry bags and solid waste, which are thrown on roadsides and in drains, have choked the drainage system in most areas of the town. The drains overflow every monsoon and sewage enters our homes,” said Rajesh Mohapatra, a resident of the town.

“The civic body restricted itself only to announcing the ban, but it did not do anything to enforce it,” he said.

“Polythene carry bags comprise most of the garbage and municipal waste. It is proving to be a major health hazard here. There should be a complete ban on the use of such carry bags,” said Amit Mohanty, another resident of the town.

Dhirendra Padhee, another resident, said the use of polythene carry bags had reduced shortly after the municipality clamped the ban in January. But when the shopkeepers gradually understood that the civic body was not going to make an all-out effort to enforce the ban, they started to use polythene carry bags again.

Health officer B.C. Dash said the town generated around 60 to 70 tonnes of garbage every day. However, the amount of polythene waste could not be calculated as the town had no solid waste segregation plant.

Municipality executive officer Rebika Bilung, however, said they would take measures to curb the use of polythene carry bags in the town.