The Karnataka government has banned manufacture, storage, sale of plastics products such as carry bags, glasses, plates, cups, plastic flags, buntings, flexes, banners, plastic sheets used on dining tables in marriage halls, plastic used for sale of chips, goods manufactured by thermocoal and micro beads.

A decision to this effect was taken at Cabinet meet chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday. The State government, however, has spared water bottles, plastic sachets used for milk, plastic used for growing nursery plants and plastic used for drips in hospitals from the ban.

According to a senior official at the State Secretariat, the ban would come into effect on the day it is notified in the gazette.

The decision was taken after studying objections received on ban of plastics from various stakeholders. In 2011, the country had banned use of plastic carry bags of less than 40 microns thickness. Taking the fight against plastic pollution a step further, the Cabinet decided to ban most of it.

The State government has maintained that the decision was taken following indiscriminate use of plastic bags.

The State Secretariat official said the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), deputy commissioners and commissioners of urban local bodies will be empowered to take action against violators of the ban.

Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy had made the proposal, the official said.