All Karnataka cities to be 100% plastic-free: Minister

All city corporations in the state have been directed to eliminate the use of plastic, Urban Development Minister B A Basavaraja (Byrathi) said Tuesday.

“All cities must become 100% plastic-free,” the minister said, after reviewing his department’s works. “At present, plastic has been reduced by 90%, but still there are cases of plastic being illegally used. I have directed officials to take action,” he said.

In March 2016, Karnataka banned single-use plastic. Since then, the authorities have been battling to curb the use of plastic.

Basavaraja also allayed fears that cities will not face water shortage this summer. “Drinking water supply is a priority,” he said. “Under the Amrut scheme, we have taken up a project in the city corporations of Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi for 24/7 water supply with World Bank funding,” he said. “This is a Rs 2,300 crore project for which the water source
is the river (through reservoirs).”

He said his department is also implementing the Gruha Bhagya scheme for pourakarmikas. “We are constructing 4,300 houses for pourakarmikas for which the cost is Rs 7.5 lakh per unit. This is the first file I signed after becoming a minister.

Pourakarmikas toil hard to keep our streets clean, so giving them shelter is important,” he said.