Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has sought immediate and coordinated steps to check use of polythene, particularly during the Bali Jatra festival beginning in Cuttack on Wednesday.
A bench of Justices S K Sahoo and V Narasingh issued the direction after the Orissa High Court Bar Association expressed concern over the menace.
Drawing the attention of the HC to the rampant use of polythene, Bar Association president Manoj Mishra and secretary Avijit Patnaik it was causing severe environmental problems such as clogged drains and waterlogging, leading to the spread of waterborne diseases like malaria and dengue.
They also emphasised that burning polythene releases toxic gases that cause air pollution, respiratory issues and even cancer.
The bench observed that the issue required urgent attention, particularly during the upcoming Bali Jatra, when lakhs of people are expected to gather in Cuttack. During the hearing, ADM of Cuttack Shibo Toppo appeared virtually and assured that necessary steps for sensitisation and administrative steps to stop the use of polythene in Bali Jatra shall be taken and viable alternatives which are eco-friendly shall be suggested to be used by the business community so that it does not affect their livelihood, TNIE reported.
In its order, the HC encouraged the use of eco-friendly options such as reusable cotton, jute or canvas bags, as well as biodegradable materials made from starch or bamboo. It also recommended food storage solutions like reusable silicone or beeswax-lined bags and glass containers. The court directed that awareness messages be disseminated to educate people on reducing plastic use in their daily lives.
Meanwhile, the Bali Jatra is set to treat the visitors to a unique and exciting experience this time. For the first time, people visiting the annual festival will get to enjoy live mermaid shows and robotic animals’ movement at the fair. The two shows have been arranged by the Doli Meena Bazaar Mahasangha at the Bali Jatra fairground in Cuttack.
Secretary of the Mahasangha, Abhishek Jena was quoted by TNIE as saying that three transparent glass-supported water channels measuring 20 ftX12 ft are being set up on over 60 ftX50 ft land at the fairground for the live mermaid shows.
Stating that 15 Indonesian girls have been roped in for the underwater show, he said they will perform for half an hour without oxygen masks as they have all been trained in breath control, body flexibility and endurance.
Additionally, the Sangha is also setting up a pavilion on an area of 70 ftX50 ft at the lower Bali Jatra ground for the robotic animals’ movement show. Robotic installations of 30 different animals including tiger, bear, lion, gorilla, elephant and zebra besides the primitive man have been brought from Ludhiana in Punjab to give visitors the feel of a jungle, he said, adding that ticket price for live mermaid show is Rs 100, while that of robotic animals’ movement show will be in the range of Rs 60 to Rs 70 per ticket.