Himachal puts complete ban on use of plastic, thermocol cutlery

Shimla, July 9: To maintain the salubrious and pristine environment of the State, Himachal Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has banned the use of plastic/thermocol cutlery. 

In a notification put by Himachal Pradesh government, it said that no person including shopkeepers, vendors, wholesalers, retailers, hawkers, Rehriwala etc. will use thermocol cutlery i.e. cups, plates, glasses, spoons or any other item for serving and consuming food in any form manufactured from non-biodegradable material as listed in Schedule under Himachal Pradesh Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1995.

“Any person, institution, commercial establishment (educational institution, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, sweetshops, dhabas, religious institutions, industrial establishments, banquet halls etc.) causing a breach of the aforesaid prohibition shall be liable for the penalties. This would not only help in environment conservation but also promote eco-tourism in the State,” the notification read.

The notification, in the end, said that ban on the thermocol cutleries will be made effective after three months of the date of publication of notification in the Rajpatra (e-Gazette, Himachal Pradesh) in the entire State in the public interest so that the manufacturers, stockiest, shopkeepers can dispose off their stocks and no financial loss is caused to them.