India is taking strict measures to deal with plastic pollution as a part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the citizens of the country to completely eliminate the use of plastic products. A week ago, the Parliament House complex and the Indian Railways banned the use of plastic products in their premises.
Ragpicker collecting plastic on Mumbai’s shoreline which is littered with trash / Image: Yale E360
Now, another step has been taken by the authorities in this direction to help protect the environment. Starting with effect from October 2, 2019 on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the government is going to enforce a ban on single-use plastic products in cities and villages that rank in the world’s most polluted areas.
This nationwide ban will be implemented on six products in the beginning – plastic bags, cups, plates, straws, small bottles, and certain types of sachets. This ban will reduce India’s annual consumption of plastic by 10% which will be a good step towards clean India mission.
The ban will be applicable to the production, sale, and purchase of these items. The violations of this law would meet some lenient penalties in the first six months, which will force the general public to adopt other alternatives in daily chores of life.
Also Read: Indian Railways Bans Single-Use Plastic Inside Trains
Every year India has a consumption of 14 million tons of plastic products. With a sizable population of the country, the annual production and usage of plastic products is a matter of concern, especially when there is no proper disposal system for plastic waste in the country. Although many firms are recycling plastic, most of it is disposed-off in the oceans which again is not good for the environment.
Coastal cities like Mumbai with places like Dharavi, which is one of the largest slums around the world, are facing major natural threats due to ecological imbalance. The non-degradable waste that ends up in sea endangers the aquatic lives and creates a disparity in the ecosystem. The ban on single-use plastic products will be the first and foremost step to make India plastic-free in the coming decade.
Many states including Himachal Pradesh have already banned the use of polythene. The government plans to ask the e-commerce companies to eliminate their plastic packaging system and help in the noble cause. For now, the citizens are expected to use recycled plastic only and other alternatives for it, such as cloth or jute bags.
Undoubtedly, this initiative will make a big contribution to the betterment of environmental fiasco. Though, given the huge population of the country, implications of this law of plastic ban would be a challenge. Hopefully, authorities will make it work for a more sustainable tomorrow.
Via: India Today