Guwahati, Jul 23 (IANS): The Assam government has decided to ban the manufacture and use of PET drinking water bottles that are less than 1 litre in capacity from October 2 this year, the Chief Minister announced.

The state unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Assam has welcomed the move to minimise plastic use, however, the opposition party also demanded that the government must ensure the free delivery of pure drinking water to every household.

Bhaben Choudhury, the state president of AAP in Assam said that drinking water facilities are less in numbers in public places across the state. If the government bans the use of PET drinking water bottles, then there should be more public drinking water facilities.

The AAP leader also alleged that the ambitious central government scheme the Jal Jeevan Mission has failed in the state due to large-scale corruption in implementing the initiative.

Earlier, the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “The state cabinet has approved to prohibit the production and use of drinking water bottles made of PET that are less than 1 litre in volume and strict implementation of the ban on single-use plastic in the state as per the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021. The ban will be put into effect from October 2 of this year with a 3-month transition period provided up to that date.”

According to Sarma, the state cabinet has approved to prohibit the production and use of drinking water bottles made of PET that are less than 1 litre in volume and strict implementation of the ban on single-use plastic in the state as per the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021. The ban will be put into effect from October 2 of this year with a 3-month transition period provided up to that date.

“Moreover, we have decided that from October 2 next year, use of drinking water bottles made of PET of less than 2 litres will also be banned,” he added.