HIGHLIGHTS
The products likely to be banned include plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachetsE-commerce companies will also be asked to cut back on plastic packaging
The European Union too plans to ban single-use plastic items like straws, forks, knives, cotton buds by 2021
A nation-wide ban is set to be imposed on plastic bags, cups and straws on October 2, officials said, in its most sweeping measure yet to stamp out single-use plastics from cities and villages that rank among the world's most polluted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is leading efforts to scrap such plastics by 2022, is set to launch the campaign with a ban on as many as six items on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, two officials said.
These include plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachets, said the officials, who asked not to be identified, in line with government policy.