MC to discourage use of plastic bottles in Shimla town

HimVani

Shimla (Jan 10) In order to discourage use of plastic bottles by the tourists and general public in this town, Municipality is coming out with a innovative plan by installing six aquagaruds in different public place in the town offering ‘free of cost pure water,’ senior MC official told Himavani.

Municipal Corporation Shimla, Commissioner, A N Sharma told Himvani that two such aquagaurds have been already dedicated to public at The Mall Road (opposite to Rotary town hall) and another in-front of Ashiana Restaurant, The Ridge to facilitate the tourists and general public.

The MC is spending Rs 15000-20000 on each Aqua-booth and four such more filters would be made available soon at various key points in the towns, he added.

The Aqua booths near Ashiana and Rotary Club, The Mall are being sponsored by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Corporation.

Official disclosed that the step was being taken to discourage the use of large number of plastic waste created by mineral water bottles that is overflowing dustbins and often choking water drains in the town.

It is pertinent to mention here that the use of polyethylene and plastic carry bags are already banned in the state. However as people are fully dependent upon the on plastic bottled mineral water in this tourist destination that was creating hurdle to solid waste management.

” As large number of plastic waste is being dump in the town by unending flow of tourists, it has been become a nuisance to civic authorities and therefore the problem needed to be addressed urgently by taking such pro-environment step,” asserted Assistant Commissioner of MC. K K Sharma.

Sharma argued that despite MC is slapping substantial fine on vendors and businessmen to nail town the use of plastic waste and polyethylene in the town but so far they were helpless to deal with menace of mineral water plastic bottles often being overflowing dustbins in this town.

He said that after fully commissioning of all the six aqua-guards in the town, tourists could rely upon them to certain extent and such facilities would be augmented in other places following good response.

Tourists can fill their non-disposable containers and drink aqua free water free of cost as it would not create plastic waste in the town, informed K K Sharma.