Kathmandu, February 23
It has already been three times that the federal government has announced a complete ban on the production, import, sale, distribution, and use of plastic bags thinner than 40 microns to reduce environmental pollution from plastic products. The latest announcement was made in the annual budget speech for this fiscal year.
Accordingly, the decision should have come into effect from July 16, 2021. However, the announcement is yet to be implemented as the government has not introduced any plan to effect the change.
Even the Supreme Court on August 8, 2021, had told the government to introduce the plan of action on implementing the plastic bag ban within 10 days.
The Department of Environment under the Environment and Forest Ministry says it has drafted a plan of action and submitted it to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers for approval, but the draft is gathering dust at the prime minister’s office.
The department’s spokesperson Shankar Prasad Poudel says, “Once the draft is approved following necessary amendment, we will launch action.”
