Minister for Forest and Environment, Pradip Yadav, has said he was committed to ensure plastic free country.Addressing a workshop on plastic free rivers and communities in South Asia here Monday, Minister Yadav reiterated that he would intensify the works to control plastic wastes.

“Plastic pollution is a huge problem in Nepal. Time has come for us to act against it,” he said, adding the directive to ban the use of plastic weighing less than 40 micron would be implemented effectively. He also argued that numerous works were initiated in the ministry in a very short time.

Meanwhile, Minister Yadav informed that additional efforts would be made from July 17. The ministry and its subordinate agencies were directed to control industrial and human pollution in the Sirsiya River of Birgunj city.He however said only the efforts from one side are not enough for making country plastic free. So, wider cooperation and assistance from international level is also imperative, Minister Yadav stressed.