Worried over the rampant use of plastic bags of less than 40 micron thickness in urban areas of the state, the government has decided to strictly prohibit the sale and use of any carry bag (with or without handle).

The commissioner and director of municipal administration has issued directions to the corporations of Warangal, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Khammam and Ramagundam and all municipalities in the state to follow the directions of additional secretary and chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued in December last year under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act 1986 directing municipal bodies to prohibit sale and use of any plastic carry bags of less than 40 micron thickness, and to close down unauthorised plastic manufacturing industries.

Those found stocking or selling such carry bags should be penalised by imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh and the material stocked or sold has to be confiscated by the authorities concerned.

Municipal commissioners have been asked to go through the directions of the CPCB and instructed to strictly prohibit, ban stocking, selling and using any carry bag of less than 40 micron thickness plastic material in their respective ULBs.

An action taken report should be submitted to the TSPCB before March 30. The action taken by the ULBs concerned should be uploaded on the website.

The regional director-cum-appellate commissioner of municipal administration (RDMAs) have been asked to closely monitor and review implementation of the said directions.