MPCB warns of actions against plastic ban violators
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 27 2022: Expressing concern over the rampant violation of ban on single use plastics including packaged water bottle below 1 litre capacity, Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) chairman MLA Dr Usham Deben has informed that the board will start initiating legal actions against the violators soon.

Addressing a press meet at the board's office, Lamphelpat, here, on Tuesday, Dr Deben said that while the government is supposed to enforce the ban on single use plastics to minimise plastic pollution, public participation is crucial for successful implementation of the policy.

Without the cooperation from the public, all the policies of the government will not bear fruit, he added.

The chairman informed that the board has chalked out several measures to enforce the ban on certain types of single use plastics including packaged drinking water of below 1 litre capacity.

Drives to enforce the ban will be taken up soon by multiple field teams of the board, he said.

The MLA further informed that during a recent test on water samples from 70 water bodies conducted by the board, harmful contaminants were found in the water of Imphal, Nambul, Iril, Khuga, Khujairok, Lokchao, Manipur, Thoubal and Wangjing rivers.

Consequently, the state government under the aegis of chief minister N Biren is all set to take up various measures to resolve the issue.

The board will further conduct similar tests on water samples from Leimakhong, Tupul and Kongba rivers, he added.

The board is in the process of installing Air Quality Monitoring Stations at 12 locations of Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Jiribam, Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Tengnoupal districts.

One station has started functioning while the remaining 11 will begin operation soon, he assured, while seeking cooperation from the public to the board.

Dr Deben also spoke on the com-plaihts raised by public over brick fields, stone crushers, workshops and sawmills, and said that the board will assess complaints over such commercial units and take up necessary steps to shut down such operations located in residential areas.

He also assured of uploading all the public complaints and follow up action reports on the website of the board for transparency.

He further said that the board will soon begin a special drive against modified silencers fitted on motorcycles, which creates noise pollution.

Clarifying on the row over the post of the board's chairman, Dr Deben said that the issue, which even reached the High Court, has been resolved now.

The authority for appointment of new chairman or chairpersons of different boards and corporations of the state government lies with the government.

Earlier, there was some issue over the post but it has been resolved with the intervention of the chief minister, following which he is now discharging his duty as the head of the board, he added.

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