Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government issued fresh notification banning use of thermocol cutlery across the state.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had announced the ban on the World Environment Day on June 5, but it was observed that it was still in use.
The government has issued fresh notification reiterating that no person including shopkeepers, vendors, wholesalers, retailers, hawkers, trehriwalas will use thermocol cutlery in any form manufactured from non-biodegradable material as listed in Schedule under Himachal Pradesh Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1995.
The ban would be made effective after three months of publication of the notification in the government gazette to give time to manufacturers, dealers and shopkeepers to dispose of the stocks, an official spokesman said.
The spokesman said that any person, institution, commercial establishment (educational institution, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, dhabas, religious institutions, industrial establishments, banquet halls etc) causing breach of the aforesaid prohibition shall be liable for penalties.
This would not only help in environment conservation, but also promote eco-tourism in the state, he added.
