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Updated: Sep 23, 2019 23:06 IST

People will now have to shell out up to ₹25,000 as fine for littering or selling single-use plastic cutlery in Himachal Pradesh.

The state government has banned use and sale of plastic cutlery, made of non-biodegradable plastic, having one-time use, while giving three months deadline to stockists and shopkeepers to dispose of their existing stock, an official said.

The ban, which includes items like spoons, bowls, stirring sticks, forks, knives, straw made, will come into effect three months from now, attracting hefty fines.

“Littering or usage of one-time use plastic cutlery by any institution, commercial establishment (educational institutions, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, sweetshops, dhabas, temple complex, industrial establishment, banquet halls) within its premises or public places, including on roads, streets, hill slopes, drains, forest areas and parks, will attract a penalty of ₹5,000,” the notifications issued by department of environment, science and technology, Government of Himachal Pradesh read.

The same offence by an individual will invite a fine of ₹1,000. The penalty will be on the basis of weight with ₹500 for 100gm waste to ₹25,000 for over 10kg.

The state government has, however, provided relief to the units manufacturing one-time use plastic cutlery items by allowing them to produce but not sell the items within the state.

Himachal Pradesh was the first state in country to ban use of plastic bags in 2009. Since then, the state government has been making efforts to reduce the plastic waste in the towns and rural areas of the state .

HEAVY PRICE

The ban will come into effect three months from now.

Quantity Penalty

Upto 100gm ₹500

101 to 500gm ₹1,500

501gm to 1kg ₹3,000

1.1kg to 5-kg ₹10,000

5.1kg to 10kg ₹20,000

Over 10kg ₹25,000