Puducherry: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy yesterday announced that ban on ten non-biodegradable and single-use plastic products would come into force in the Union Territory from today.
He made the announcement while speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting.
The 10 single-use plastic products include polythene plastic carry bags, thermacol cups, thermacol plates water pouches, plastic straw and plastic flags.
Eight items have however been exempted from the ban: plastic-coated paper cups, plastic sheet used for industrial packing, such as pulses, cereals, medicine and milk, and plastic bags of more than 40x 50 cm in size that are used for collection disposal of solid and biomedical wastes.
The CM said that to ensure the a plastic-free environment in the union territory, a joint meeting with manufacturers of plastic products, traders, cloth merchants and hoteliers was held recently by the Welfare and Environment Minister M Kandasamy recently.
Fine ranging between Rs 5,000 and Rs 1 lakh would be imposed as penalty said the CM.