A high-level meeting convened by state Chief Secretary O.P.Yadav last evening, gave its nod to the Department of Science, Technology and Environment to issue notification banning use of the bags by traders, retailers and vendors. There would, however, be no ban on the manufacturing units or even sale of recycled polythene bags normally used for some useful works like plantation etc.

The notification, whose draft was awaiting assent of the Law Department, is being issued under Himachal Pradesh Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act 1995. Under provisions of the Act, the state government was fully competent to issue such a notification targeted to deal with the menace of polythene bags.

In an earlier notification two months back, the state government had extended the jurisdiction of the Act to all municipal towns of the state, including tourists towns Shimla and Manali.

Though the Centre also proposes to issue notification under Environment Protection Act to ban use of the polythene bags, made out of recycled waste, for carrying food items, the Himachal Government wants to remain a leader in its measures against polythene menace.

Senior officials, who participated in the meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary, were of the view that the Centre might take some months to finally issue notification but the state government, since had already passed its own legislation, there would be no legal hitch to issue its own notification.

Survey done by the officials - including some brain-behind the idea, reveal that there were only three polythene bags manufacturing units in the state and ban on use of recycled coloured bags would not make the units unviable since a lot of material was also coming from other states. Moreover, the government since had no intention to ban quality bags (not made or recycled material), units could continue their works.

Under the initial plans, the state government had thought of a total ban on the polythene bags but since the Centre did not respond positively to the idea, the government enacted its legislation limiting the role to curb littering of the used bags. However, after indepth studies, the state government had realised that unless more teeth was given to the HP Non- Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act 1995, polythene bags would continue to cause pollution and spoil natural beauty of the hill towns, slopes and green belts in Himachal.