Mathura, Sep 22 (IANS): A court has banned the use of plastic bags in Uttar Pradesh's temple town of Vrindavan.

A bench of the Allahabad High Court Friday ordered the ban on use of plastic and polythene items in Vrindavan.

The district magistrate of Mathura has been asked to form a committee to monitor the implementation of the ban order.

The court order was the result of a petition by Braj Life-Line Welfare Association, which highlighted the failure of the sewage treatment plants in the district.

The division bench asked the district magistrate to file a status report on the state of cleanliness and sanitation in the Mathura-Vrindavan area.

Authorities have been asked to launch an awareness campaign to discourage use of polythene and plastic bags.

Vrindavan music maestro Acharya Jaimini welcomed the court initiative.

Jaimini told IANS: "Everywhere in Vrindavan you have heaps of garbage piled up. The polythene bags are a huge nuisance choking drains and sewer, causing inconvenience to pilgrims."

"Its a welcome move. The people of Vrindavan will respond positively to ensure that the holy town presents a cleaner profile in future," he added.

Millions of pilgrims visit the holy shrines associated with Sri Krishna in Mathura district, round the year.