From correspondents in West Bengal, India, 11:31 AM IST

West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi has welcomed the imposition of restrictions on the use of plastic in the Darjeeling hills to check pollution caused by non bio-degradable products.

Gandhi Tuesday congratulated the Darjeeling municipality on this far-sighted move and suggested that other hilly regions emulate the step.

'The connection between plastic litter and landslides is all too clear. A restriction on the offending objects is not just a matter of aesthetics but of safety and human well-being,' the governor said in a press communique released by the Raj Bhavan here.

'I hope the order will be implemented firmly and am confident that the residents, public as well as tourists will cooperate with the authorities in the matter,' Gandhi said.

The Darjeeling district, comprising the three hill sub-divisions of Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling, is located on the foothills of the Himalayas.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)