Karnataka sets up Special Task Force to eliminate single use plastic

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has constituted a 16-member Special Task Force for taking measures to eliminate single use plastic in the state.

The meetings of the task force will be convened once in two months, an order said, adding, the Chairperson may co-opt members as required.

”The government is pleased to constitute a State Level Special Task Force under the Chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary to Govt of Karnataka for preparing a comprehensive action plan for elimination of single use plastics and implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and implementing it in mission mode,” the order said.

The task force has either Additional or Principal secretaries of various departments as its members, and Member Secretary, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board will be its ”Member Convener”.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as per the decision taken in the PRAGATI meeting held by the Prime Minister on January 24, had requested the state government to constitute a Special Task Force.

The state government has also designated the Directorate of Municipal Administration as the nodal department for urban areas and Rural Drinking water and Sanitation Department as nodal Department for Rural areas.

For effective implementation on the ground, the District/City Level Task Force has been constituted.It will be headed by Chief Commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in Bengaluru, and Deputy Commissioners in districts.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 prohibiting plastic carry bags less than 50 micron.

The Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology, Government of Karnataka in 2016 had notified the ban on selling and usage of all types of plastic carry bags, plastic banners,buntings and flex, plastic flags, plastic plates, cups, spoons, sheets spread on dining table and thermocol across the State.