THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When buying liquor in plastic bottles, a deposit of Rs 20 will be charged for each bottle. If returned this bottle to BEVCO outlet, one will get that Rs 20 back. This is being implemented as part of the measures to reduce plastic waste. This was clarified by Excise Minister M B Rajesh at the press meet convened in Thiruvananthapuram. The minister also informed that a pilot project for this will be conducted at Thiruvananthapuram in September in conjunction with the Clean Kerala project.

The deposit amount will be refunded only if the bottle is returned to the outlet from where it was purchased. The minister said the implementation of the method of getting the deposit amount refunded regardless of which outlet the bottles are returned to will be examined. If the sticker on the bottle is lost, the money will not be refunded. Liquor worth Rs 70 crore is sold in the state annually. Most of this is in plastic bottles. Plastic bottles discarded by liquor sellers in many places are causing major environmental problems.

The new scheme is being implemented in Kerala after studying the model of Tamil Nadu. The minister said that BEVCO, Clean Kerala Company, Excise and Suchitva Mission jointly studied the Tamil Nadu method.

The minister also informed that the government has decided to distribute liquor above Rs 800 in glass bottles from now on. BEVCO will soon open super premium outlets selling foreign liquor priced above Rs 900 in all districts. The first of these will start in Thrissur on August 5. Four more will be opened in other districts soon. The new move is to minimize the crowding in the outlets.