Chandigarh, August 21 - Haryana Environment and Forest Minister Mr. Rao Narbir Singh said that a comprehensive public awareness campaign will be launched with the aim of completely banning the use of single-use plastic in the state. He said that the officials of the Pollution Control Board should take effective steps in this direction and motivate the public to cooperate in making Haryana plastic-free.
Mr. Rao Narbir Singh was holding a review meeting with the field officers of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board through video conferencing from the Civil Secretariat here today.

Group Housing Society and RWA will be included-
He directed the officials to organize regular meetings with Group Housing Society and Resident Welfare Associations in Gurugram and other cities of the NCR region. In these meetings, societies should be motivated to adopt solid waste management system and each society should be encouraged to set up compost plants.

Strict action of inspection and challaning-
The Environment and Forest Minister also said that the authorities should conduct regular inspection of shops, commercial establishments and factories and wherever plastic bags are found to be manufactured or sold, strict action should be taken by issuing challans immediately. The information about the action taken in this regard should be sent to the head office from time to time.

Instructions to fill up vacant posts-
During the meeting, he also directed that the vacant posts in the board should be filled up quickly on contract basis as per the requirement and a demand should be sent to the Haryana Staff Selection Commission and Haryana Public Service Commission for regular recruitment.

Environment protection is the top priority of the government-
Shri Rao Narbir Singh said that environment protection is among the top priorities of the Haryana Government. All officials will have to work seriously and responsibly to ensure public participation in implementing the ban on single-use plastic and solid waste management.