Government to go all-out against polythene: Rural Development Minister

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Government has launched an all-out war against the use of polythene in the state and has empowered Block Development Officers (BDO) and Panchayat officers to seize the polythene and impose a fine. This was revealed by Minister for Rural Development, Abdul Haq on Wednesday.

Haq said the government has empowered BDOs and Panchayat officers to seize the polythene in their respective jurisdictions and formal orders have been issued in the matter.

Minister directed the officers to spend the first hour of the day making their areas polythene-free. “Seize polythene in your areas and ensure that your respective areas are polythene-free,” he told the officers during a review meeting in Srinagar.

Haq said he will be personally monitoring the drive against polythene and asked the officers to report about the drive weekly to the minister. He said planned development of rural areas, making J&K polythene-free, and upkeep and preservation/conservation of the water resources is the need of the hour for a sustainable future.

Haq also urged Panchayat members to take these initiatives to the grassroots level. He appealed to the Panchayat members to be aware of each and every household in their areas for disposal of solid waste and a complete ban on the use of polythene bags.

He also stressed for plantation of more and more saplings in their Panchayat for clean and green villages.