Plastic ban in Odisha starting Oct 2
Bhubaneswar, July 10: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced a ban on the use of plastic in the state from October 2, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
In the first phase, plastic will be banned in six places -- the pilgrim city of Puri, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela.
Plastic bags, polyethylenes and single-use plastic material would be completely banned across the state in the next two years, said Patnaik at an environment awareness programme under the "Ama Mukhyamantri Ama Katha" here.
While the Housing and Urban Development Department have been entrusted with the task of enforcing it in urban areas, it will be the responsibility of the Panchayati Raj (PR) Department in rural areas.
Forest and Environment Department will monitor the controlling of plastic pollution in the entire state.
The Chief Minister also said everyone must plant a sapling during the ongoing rainy season and take care of it.
"If we all plant a tree each and take care of it, the environment will be protected and human beings will live in good condition. We must all work for the development of our family and society," he added.
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Voting begins for Assam''s 126 assembly seats
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Guwahati (PTI): Polling for all 126 Assam assembly constituencies began on Thursday to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates, officials said.
In the high-stakes election, the ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016.
Polling, being held in a single phase, began at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. Long queues of voters were seen outside polling stations from early morning.
An electorate of 2.50 crore, including 1.25 crore women and 318 from the third gender, can exercise their franchise in 31,490 polling stations across the state.
Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.
Several cabinet ministers, including the AGP’s Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and the BPF’s Charan Boro are also in the fray.
The Congress has the highest of 99 contestants, followed by the BJP (90), AIUDF (30), NDA allies AGP (26) and BPF (11).
Opposition alliance’s Raijor Dal is contesting in 13, AJP in 10, CPI(M) in 3 and APHLC in 2. Outside the two coalitions, the AAP is contesting in 18 seats, UPPL in 18, TMC 22, JMM 16 and there are 258 independents.
The ruling NDA’s main constituents are the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodo Peoples’ Front (BPF) while the opposition alliance comprises the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and CPI(ML).
The counting of votes is scheduled on May 4.
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