92,647 challans issued after ban was imposed on single use plastic
The manufacturers and retail sellers of single use plastic items (SUP) are yet to take the law banning such products seriously.
In two months since the prohibition on usage and manufacture of SUP came into effect, at least 92,647 challans were issued in just 11 States against the violators from whom a total 6,41,851 kg of illegal plastic items was seized attracting the penalty of `4.6 crore, as per the data available from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), top pollution regulator in the country.
The figure could be on the higher side given that a majority of the States in the country are yet to submit the report of the action taken against the SUP violators, said a senior official from the CPCB. Also, only the major violators have been covered while small traders, hawkers and grocers have gone scot-free.
He said that the details of inspections in special zones were as per data submitted by State Pollution Control Boards or Pollution Control Boards (PCC).
Most of the inspections were undertaken at railway stations, airports and e-Commerce companies’ warehouses in the State /UTs for ensuring enforcement of SUP ban in 11 States and UTs, including Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Puducherry.
The teams also found that the manufacturers continued to produce the banned items, either ignorant of the new law or giving two hoots to the
law.
The identified banned SUP items include earbuds, plastic sticks for balloons, flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol), plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweets boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners of less than 100 microns and stirrers.
The thickness of plastic carry bags will have to be increased from 75 microns to 120 microns from December 31, said the official. The CPCB has also developed the SUP Public Grievance App to allow the general public to file their grievance in case they observe violation of the ban of the Single Use Plastics. The data of the complaint is registered in a central portal.
These complaints are then redressed mainly by the local bodies and in certain cases by the SPCBs/ PCCs, said the official on the sideline of an event held to mark the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.
A total of 3,374 complaints had been registered as of August 28, 2022 of which1,068 had been resolved.
On a positive side, the data showed that many units had started manufacturing alternatives to banned SUP items. For instance, sticks candy and ice-cream sticks have been replaced with wooden sticks.
Earlier, while addressing the event, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said innovations in air quality management should become a movement. He said his Ministry is focusing equally on enforcement and creating awareness among the public.
Factors responsible for air pollution are different in different regions and the authorities are adopting cost-effective solutions to the problem. Yadav said the Government has given a transboundary mandate to the Commission for Air Quality Management recognising the importance of dealing with air pollution at the airshed level.
An airshed is defined as a geographic area that, because of topography, meteorology or climate, is frequently affected by the same air mass.
Minister of State for Environment Ashwani Kumar Choubey called for launching the mass movement against pollution in colleges and universities so that the next generation can breathe the clean air.