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Plastic bags are not bad, it’s the “failure” of the Capital’s civic administration that is to blame for the plastic menace.
With that statement in Lok Sabha, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh threw open the debate on the ban on plastic bags in Delhi once again. Polythene bags were banned in the Capital this January following a High Court order. Crying foul over the ban, the plastic manufacturing lobby subsequently moved the court.
According to Ramesh, poor handling of solid waste management by Delhi’s civic authorities has led to the ban. “India and Bangladesh are the only countries to have considered a ban on plastic bags,” Ramesh said. “The entire world uses plastic, which is a chemically inert substance and not hazardous per se to health and environment. The problem though is not only limited to New Delhi - but an all India and Global issue!!! Recent reports in news papers indicate that the amount of litter spread all over Himalaya's - Thanks to adventure, trekking and other travel would soon grow out of proportion. The amount of waste found all over has destroyed the natural beauty and the whole country and India would soon appear as a big garbage land if use of Plastic bags is not monitored and controlled.
“If carried out as per approved procedures and guidelines, recycling of plastic may not be an environmental or health hazard.” It's a different story though that approved procedures and guidelines for recycling needs monitoring and willingness of the government for successful implementation.
Ramesh also said he does not fully agree with alternatives the Delhi government has pitched — paper and jute bags — and said use of paper bags would lead to cutting of trees. Instead, he suggested use of biodegradable plastic bags, which the government has allowed only in very restricted areas: minor markets and small restaurants. All ‘major’ shopping areas have a ban on retail, use and storage of plastic bags.
Post-ban, besides shopkeepers stocking them, customers found using plastic carry-bags can also be penalised.
The government has notified Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999 (amended in 2003) to regulate the use and manufacture of plastic carry-bags, containers and recycling of plastic waste, the minister said. “We are moving towards thicker and biodegradable bags,” Ramesh said.
The Delhi government is going by a Bureau of Indian Standards Notification which specifies that a biodegradable plastic bag has to be 40 microns thick and should decompose into compost.
The government, though, is not seen as very proactive in keeping the ban on plastic going: it has not not issued a single challan since the ban on plastic bag came into effect with a notification on January 7. On ground, this has meant most shopkeepers have reverted to plastic bags.
Sourced from Report by Neha Sinha on Yahoo! News & The Indian Express |
