KATHMANDU, April 15: When Anjana Shrestha, 49, went to a local store at Gokarna on Sunday morning to buy a detergent, the shopkeeper refused to hand her the item in a plastic bag.
However, she was more than pleased to carry the item in her hand when the shopkeeper reminded her that April 14, the start of a Nepali new year, was the day the government would begin strict enforcement of the ban on the use and sales of plastic bags inside the Kathmandu Valley.
"I have no problem carrying these items in hand. When I was handed the detergent in hand, I was surprised at first. But as soon as I was told the reason, I felt good. Such steps ultimately help to keep our environment clean," said Shrestha.
At a time when Shrestha was heading home without carrying p1astic bags at around 8 in the morning, a crowd of locals, government officials and Armed Police Force (APF) were already on the streets to announce the launch of the long-awaited campaign of turning the Kathmandu Valley into a plastic free zone.
College students, APF officials in uniform and officials from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MoSTE) had marched from exhibition road at Bhrikutimandap to Sundhara to the Newroad area and back to the point from where they had started.
Carrying banners and placards with "Say no to plastic bags" slogans written on them, the marchers even asked bystanders to surrender plastic bags and handed them paper bags instead.
As the procession entered Sundhara, one Shristi Khadka was found carrying vegetables in a plastic bag. She was asked to put away the plastic bag and keep the vegetables inside a paper bag they had been distributing to the locals.
"I am still used to carrying plastic bags but from today onward I will not use them. Rather, I will carry bags made out of cloths," said Khadka.
The procession converged inside the exhibition hall at Bhrikutimandap for a meeting.
"This is just the beginning of the initiative for eliminating plastic bags from our surrounding. I am confident that the day when we will live a healthy life without plastic bags is very near," said Mahendra Maan Gurung, joint secretary and chief at the Environment Management Division at MoSTE.
As per the government's direction, sales and use of plastic bags inside the Kathmandu Valley is prohibited from April 14. Only plastic bags measuring more than 40 micron in thickness inside the valley and those above 30 micron outside the valley will be allowed.
Meanwhile, Direction General at the Department of Environment, Suraj Pokharel informed about initiating awareness campaign and strict monitoring at three different check posts in Kathmandu Valley from Monday onward.
Related story
Lalitpur ward reviving ban on plastic bags from April 14
