Munnar panchayat will impose plastic ban from July

In an effort to curb plastic pollution, Munnar panchayat has decided to impose a strict plastic ban in the hill station from July 1.

According to Munnar panchayat president S. Vijayakumar, the initiative will roll out in stages. “In the initial phase, the panchayat will ban the use of single-use plastics and water bottles under 500 ml in the hill station. Tourists will not be allowed to dispose of plastic here. The ban will be strictly enforced starting July 1,” he said.

Mr. Vijayakumar noted that waste disposal is a major threat to the hill station, with plastic dumping being the primary concern. “Without addressing plastic waste dumping, we cannot effectively manage waste treatment in Munnar,” he added.

To help tourists avoid plastic water bottles, the panchayat will introduce water ATMs across various parts of the town to ensure access to clean drinking water. Tourists will be able to purchase one litre of water for ₹5. The construction of two water ATMs—built at a cost of ₹4 lakh each—has already been completed, and they will be officially launched soon. If the project proves successful, the panchayat plans to install more ATMs throughout the hill station.

The president further stated that the panchayat plans to enforce the ban jointly with the neighboring Devikulam panchayat. “A meeting with the Devikulam panchayat authorities is scheduled for Monday,” he said.

Additionally, both the Munnar and Devikulam panchayats have already decided to collect a surcharge from tourist vehicles starting from Onam vacation.

To address other local challenges, a traffic advisory committee meeting has been called in Munnar on June 11 to discuss traffic-related issues. During a recent visit, Tourism and Culture Minister P.C. Vishnunadh assured authorities of his support in ensuring smooth tourism operations in Munnar.