Thaindian News

Shimla, June 23 (IANS) In a bid to minimise littering of plastic waste in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, the government has asked consumers to return empty edible oil pouches to the point of purchase so that they can be recycled.
“Those who get edible oil through the Public Distribution System (PDS) outlets in the state will now have to bring the empty oil pouches to get their next month’s quot. This scheme would come into effect from August,” Diljit Dogra, Managing Director of the Himachal Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation, told IANS.

He said instructions in this regard had been issued to all 128 fair price shops across the state.

“The decision to get the empty pouches was taken in the wake of guidelines issued recently by the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s Green Bench to encourage residents to reduce the use of plastic,” Dogra added.

According to him, the corporation would sell the pouches it collects at Rs.4 per kg to the public works department that would utilise them in its road building projects.

Himachal Pradesh banned the production, storage, use, sale and distribution of all types of polythene bags made of non-biodegradable materials in the state Oct 2 last year. But the ban does not include bags used for packing food items like milk and cereals.