Bengaluru: In a bid to address the mounting plastic waste problem, Eshwar B. Khandre, Minister for Forests, Ecology, and Environment, has directed the additional chief secretary of the department to formulate regulations that will require packaged water bottle manufacturers to take responsibility for the scientific disposal of plastic bottles.

As part of the proposed plan, Khandre has suggested introducing a minimum price for each water bottle, which would be refunded when the bottle is returned to any establishment selling packaged water, as reported by Deccan Herald on Monday.

Under this initiative, when a person buys a new water bottle, the minimum price for each returned bottle would be discounted from the bill for the new one.

The goal is to ensure that empty bottles are returned to the shops where they were purchased, preventing them from being discarded in public spaces or ending up in the environment. Under the plan, these establishments would then return the empty bottles to manufacturers, who would be responsible for the scientific disposal of the plastic.

Khandre emphasised that the proposed regulations are aimed at tackling plastic pollution more effectively. Although the central government has already banned the manufacture, storage, sale, and use of certain single-use plastics, and the state government has enacted similar regulations, plastic waste continues to be a significant environmental challenge.

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Hubballi: A youngster accused of misbehaving with a girl at a dance class and his family members were allegedly assaulted during a clash between two groups in Tumakuru Oni of Kamaripet area in Hubballi.

According to sources, a group confronted the youth, identified as Tilak, accusing him of behaving inappropriately with a girl at the dance class. The situation escalated after Tilak’s family members reached the spot and entered into an argument with the group.

As tensions grew, another group of around 50 to 60 people allegedly joined and attacked Tilak and his family members.

Three persons identified as Parashuram Nadiyada, Dileep Nadiyada and Tilak sustained serious injuries in the incident and were rushed to the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospital in Hubballi for treatment.

The victims have alleged that they were mistaken to be Muslims and were also subjected to caste-based abuse during the assault.

Police from the Kamaripet station reached the spot, brought the situation under control and registered a case in this regard.