Officials at KMC believe that pollution would reduce drastically if they succeed in banning polythene bags in the metropolis. Pollution and garbage management has been major nuisance to the metropolis for years.[break]
“We are working to ban the use of polythene in the metropolis,” said Chief Executive Officer of KMC Kedar Bahadur Adhikari. He said KMC is preparing to ban the use of plastic bags from the new Nepali year. Adhikari, however, said that KMC would not enforce the ban at once in all parts of the metropolis. In the first phase, the ban will be enforced only in some selected areas.
“Instead of polythene bags we are working to promote carry bags,” he said, adding, “We can significantly bring down pollution levels if the use of plastic bags can be completely banned. “KMC has already banned the use plastic bags at the main heritage sites. The office has already banned production of polythene bags less than 20 microns.
The Environment Management Department at KMC on Tuesday had also called meeting of entrepreneurs, who have been producing low quality polythene bags.
“We urged them to improve the quality of poly bags or find alternatives,” said chief of the Santaram Pokhrel, chief of the Department. He said KMC would hold further discussions with manufacturers of plastic bags to find alternatives. “We are not in the mood to inflict heavy damages to plastic bag manufacturers. So we asked them to produce reusable or degradable plastic bags,” he added.
KMC Chief Adhikari said the entrepreneurs have complained that banning of plastic bags would inflict them a heavy damage as production of the degradable plastic bags will be costlier. KMC has already banned the use of poly bags in places like Pashupatinath, Swyambhunath, Boudhanath and Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square.
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