‘Govt has prepared action plan to eliminate single-use plastic in state’

Kendrapada: The govt has prepared a comprehensive action plan to eliminate single-use plastic and implement effective waste management strategies across state, Kirti Vardhan Singh Suresh, minister of state for environment, forest and climate change said on Thursday. Responding to BJD MP Debashhis Samantray's question in Rajya Sabha, Suresh outlined the state's multi-pronged approach to tackle plastic pollution."A special task force, headed by the chief secretary, has been established to monitor the progress of the initiative. Additionally, a state-level committee under the principal secretary of housing and urban development department oversees the implementation of plastic waste management rules, 2016," Suresh added.Recent enforcement drives conducted jointly by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and urban local bodies have shown significant results. This year between March and June, authorities seized approximately 12,596 kg of single-use plastic items and collected fines totalling Rs 12,84,546.The minister revealed that under Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, Rs 209.8 crore has been allocated for solid waste management in Odisha. The state has also registered 11 plastic waste recycling units and 20 co-processing units under extended producer responsibility guidelines.Notable initiatives include installation of six automatic cloth bag vending machines in Bhubaneswar, implementation of pilot projects in Daringbadi and Chandrabhaga beach as plastic-free zones, organization of awareness campaigns like ‘plastic-free picnic challenge' and engagement of 162 industrial houses and mines to maintain plastic-free premises.SPSB has also conducted plastic waste collection drives in Puri in collaboration with the district administration.