Polybags are back in business within three months of the ban. Review of the ban, since the date of inception (January 21), by monitoring agency UP Pollution Control Board shows the change is visible only at malls and high-end shops and stores. "The ban has not been effective in checking littering and use by roadside vendors and neighbourhood 'kirana' stores," said UPPCB regional officer Kuldeep Mishra. A government meeting lsat week discussed ways to make the ban effective.

State cabinet had decided to ban use, storage, manufacture, import and transport of plastic bags on December 18, a month after the Allahabad high court directed state government to issue notification enforcing complete ban on sale of polythene across the state by December 31, 2015.

The district administration had prepared guidelines to clamp down use of polythene in January.

"It's not possible to file a case against roadside vendors using polythene bags as their location keeps changing and that will weaken the case against them," said sources in UPPCB, citing the biggest problem with the notification for ban that it has no provision of immediate compounding.

The notification issued by the environment directorate on December 22 said "Plastic carry bags littered around have detrimental effect on environment and they also cause blockage of gutters, sewerage system and drains resulting in serious environmental and public health related problems."

It said no person will be able to sell, store or use any kind of plastic carry bags for storing or dispensing of any eatable or non-eatable material. Manufacturing and transporting of polythene will be prohibited along with using plastic cover, plastic sheet, plastic film or plastic tube to pack or cover any book, invitation or greeting card.

This, however, will not affect use of plastic carry bags as specified under bio-medical waste (management and handling) rules, 1998. Carry bags do not include those constituting or forming integral part of the packaging in which goods are sealed prior to use.