KATHMANDU, May 6: The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal, Shankar Das Bairagi, to furnish a written response within seven days on a case relating to contempt of court for his failure to implement the court’s decision to restrict the use of plastic bags. 

A single bench of Justice Kumar Regmi made the order directing Chief Secretary Bairagi to submit the written response within seven days by appearing in the court himself or through his representative as per the law. 

In the annual budget of the fiscal year 2078/079 BS, the government announced the restriction of the use of plastic bags. “In order to reduce the environmental pollution caused by plastics; the production, import, sales and distribution as well as use of plastics with less than 40 microns thickness has been completely banned from the upcoming mid-July,” said the government decision.

The apex court had earlier issued a mandamus order in the name of the government to fully impose a ban on the production, import, sales and distribution as well as use of plastics less than 40 microns thick beginning July 16, 2021.

Advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha had filed a case at the apex court naming Chief Secretary Bairagi as the defendant for failing to implement the mandamus order. The apex court made the order after conducting a hearing on the writ petition. 

 
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