Madikeri: Ban on use of plastics below 20 micron thickness will be strictly enforced in the Madikeri city municipal limits, all the three town panchayats and six selected gram panchayats in Kodagu district from January 1, 2006, Deputy Commissioner Subodh Yadav has said.

Ban on plastics is already in force, but it needed to be implemented. It will be done in a phased manner in the entire district, Mr. Yadav said presiding over a meeting to review progress of the Department of Tourism here, according to a press release here on Saturday.

Initially, the ban will be imposed in the Madikeri CMC limits, town panchayats of Somwarpet, Virajpet and Kushalnagar, Abbi Falls picnic area in the Kalakeri-Nidugane village, near here, Irpu Falls area in the Srimangala area, Talacauvery and Bhagamandala pilgrim centres in the Bhagamandala gram panchayat in Madikeri taluk, Gonicoppa, Siddapura, Sunticoppa gram panchayats, Mr. Yadav said.

He instructed the officials concerned to programme an alternative system for plastic usage by January since it will be difficult to ask the people all of a sudden to switch over to alternative methods.

However, milk, oil and others could not be provided in paper packs but they were well over 20 micron thickness limits.

They could not be harmful to the environment, Mr. Yadav said. He asked the officials to assess plastic quality and educate businessmen about hazards of plastics so that they do not harm the environment.

Bus service

Mr. Yadav expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in introducing bus services from the city to the Bhagamandala and Talacauvery and also the Abbi Falls picnic spot, seven km from the city, in spite of instructions given by the district administration to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation.

The KSRTC official said that owing to lack of patronage, the services introduced earlier had to be withdrawn.

Mr. Yadav, in turn, asked the official to give more publicity to the bus services and operate buses on Saturdays and Sundays for the benefit of visitors.

He asked the zilla panchayat officers to inform the Kalakeri-Nidugane gram panchayat, which collected parking fee from the visitors at the Abbi Falls, to plough the money back for the upkeep of the area.

Cement benches

The Assistant Director of the Karnataka Land Army Corporation assured the Deputy Commissioner that he would make arrangements for putting up cement benches near the falls for the benefit of the visitors. Mr. Yadav also instructed the officials of the Department of Tourism and the Department of Archaeology and Museums to display signboards in Kannada and English near tourist spots to inform the visitors about their importance.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail