A high-level meeting convened by state Chief Secretary O P Yadav on Saturday 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.