In a major environment-friendly initiative, the Delhi government today decided to impose a blanket ban on manufacture, sale, storage and use of plastic bags in the national capital.

The decision was taken at Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Officials said the use of plastic cover/pouch to pack magazines, invitation cards, greeting cards will also be prohibited. Our correspondent reports, green groups have been demanding a blanket ban on plastic bags in the capital for long.

Following a Delhi High Court order, the government had in January, 2009 imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags in various markets, shopping malls, hotels and hospitals but it has not produced any desired result.

The government has now decided to impose the ban as per provision of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 under which the violators could face imprisonment up to five years and fine of upto 1 lakh rupees or both. The notified places included luxury hotels, hospitals,restaurants, all fruits and vegetable outlets of Mother Dairy, liquor vends, shopping malls, local shopping centers and all retail and wholesale outlets of branded chain of outlets selling different consumer products including fruits and vegetables.

The decision to enforce the blanket ban on plastic bags came a day after the government decided to ban gutka products in the city.

The Maharashtra government has decided to ban the production, sale, distribution and storage of gutkha and paan masala in the state. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. The ban on gutkha and paan masala will result in revenue loss of 100 crore rupees per annum for the state exchequer, but the decision has been taken in larger public interest.

Maharashtra has joined a handful of states, among them Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, to ban gutkha, blamed for oral diseases such as cancer.

Maharashtra had imposed a ban on the two products in 2002 and 2008 also but the decision could not pass legal scrutiny.