The Telangana government has directed municipal bodies across the state to end plastic usage.

According to reports, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar has issued guidelines to stop the usage of single-use plastic items, such as plastic and tetra bottles, single-use straws, plastic or styrofoam tea cups or containers, plastic below 50 micron plastic or plastic coated items and any other forms of single use /banned plastic.

The guidelines stated, "No office shall be found to be in use or possession of below 50-micron plastic bags as mandated in the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016".

"Furthermore, it is mandated that all offices follow the twin bin system and dispose of plastic waste strictly in compliance with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2000 and guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) towards plastic disposal," the letter declares.

"The orders come into force with immediate effect," it added.

In a similar instance, another plastic ban will take effect from June 23 in Maharashtra, where people carrying plastic bags can be fined upto Rs 10,000 by the Bombay Municipal Corporation. The Government had declared the ban notification on March 23, giving the public three months to find an alternative.