Cut plastic use and reduce your trash

Bengaluru: In a bid to tackle the growing garbage menace in the city, Karnataka government will soon come out with a stringent policy to ban use and sale of plastic material like banners, buntings, flags, flex boards and several plastic material including those below 40 micron, transport minister, R. Ramalinga Reddy  declared on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting on tackling garbage menace in the city with city legislators and BBMP officials at his office, Mr Reddy said, “With this ban we feel that there will be a reduction of no less than 20 per cent in garbage generation in the city.”

He added that plastic waste was a major factor causing blockage of gutters and drains resulting in floods during the rainy season. Due to stagnation of water, the mosquito and fly menace too is growing. “The pest menace in another problem which is affecting humans as well as animals,” the minister observed.  The state government proposes to implement the Environment Protection Act of 1986 which enables the government to impose a ban on plastic carry bags, banners, buntings, flex, plastic flags, plastic plates-cups and sheets which are  extensively used during public functions such as marriages.  
 

Congress leader threatens protest over garbage
Bengaluru Rural District Congress unit president and senior leader, S.T. Somashekhar on Tuesday warned that he would be leading a protest against the state government if it failed to tackle the garbage menace in his constituency.

Speaking to DC after the meeting with transport minister, R. Ramalinga Reddy here, Mr Somashekhar said, “People in my constituency are put to hardship because of the stench from five dumpyards established by BBMP. The Palike had promised that whatever garbage was dumped in these yards would be treated. But of late, the BBMP is dumping garbage without treating it. This is posing serious health hazards to people. The government has to tackle this immediately,” he demanded. Emerging from the meeting, transport minister, R. Ramalinga Reddy said BBMP would take every possible measure to clear the garbage dumpyards. “We have sought time from MLAs and they have agreed not to disrupt garbage dumping until the festivities are over. They have asked us to clear the dumping yards by using new technologies, which we are in the process of procuring. Once we get these technologies, tackling garbage will not pose a challenge,” he said.