Ban on polythene in U'khand from July 31: CM

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today said there would be a complete ban on use of polythene throughout the state from July 31.

The theme for this year's World Environment Day is beat plastic pollution.

Rawat said all polythene wholesalers have been asked to exhaust their stocks by the given date and sought people's cooperation to make Uttarakhand free of plastic.

One week before the ban, a mass awareness campaign about environmental damage caused by polythene would be undertaken in the entire state, he said.

A massive tree plantation drive will be launched along the Rispana river next month to rejuvenate it. As part of a mission called Rispana to Rishiparna, the ancient name of the river, 3.5 lakh trees will be planted along the river in a single day right from its origin at Landhaur ShikharFall to Motharwala-Daudwala in the city where it merges with Bindal, the chief minister said.

He said the Rispana to Rishiparna mission is an ambitious long-term campaign of the government in which various non-government organisations (NGOs) and local people will participate.

Rawat said the initial target is to rejuvenate Rispana and Kosi rivers, after which other major water bodies would also be rejuvenated.

Environment conservation is a collective responsibility and everyone needs to respond to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for building a plastic-free India, the chief minister said.