The Municipal Corporation Haridwar is still struggling to stop the use of polythene. The banned item is being sold openly under the nose of the nodal officer. However, to curb the menace, the officiating city magistrate Mohd Naasir Hussain has imposed Section 188 of CRPC in the city area of the district for next two months to curb the polythene menace. However, things are yet to be curbed with those tasked to eliminate the menace are proving indifferent.
Notably, National Green Tribunal (NGT) passed the ban order on polythene on July 2 after receiving the report of its local commissioner Sharik Zaidi who had inspected various sites in Haridwar and Rishikesh last month. The local commissioner had conducted the inspection in the presence of the officers from Pollution Control Board, Nagar Nigam, Haridwar and Police. The report submitted by the lC before the tribunal made it clear that the state of affairs prevailing on the river bank and plains of Ganga is pathetic. Plastic waste and other municipal waste are being thrown directly into the river Ganga and its banks are being clogged with such waste. A drain which had been constructed to carry the sewage to the STP was completely blocked and choked by plastic and other wastes. Cow dung and other waste are being thrown on the river bank of Ganga from the restaurants and shops located around. Even the places of worships are not being spared. The river water is being polluted by the direct discharge of sewage waste and other elements , the report said. It also mentioned that there is no proper system for collection, segregation and disposal of municipal solid waste in the city of Haridwar. Several ghats, including the celebrated Har ki Pauri, are bearing the brunt of the continuing state of things.
It may be mentioned that NGT has instructed the district administration and municipal corporation of Haridwar (MCH) to implement the order strictly and reply in a week, informing what steps they have taken to implement the order.
There are total thirty wards in the city from where total 200MT of garbage is produced daily. As per NGT ruling, plastic will not be used for any purpose . Any person found using, bringing or in any way dealing with the plastic envelops or packaging materials in the area would be liable to pay environmental penalty of Rs 5000 per incident.
However more than three weeks have passed since NGT issued the order nothing is being done to implement it rightly on the ground.
For instance, polythene items and polythene bags are being used and sold openly even in the close vicinity of SP’s city office. Notably, the nodal officer has been tasked with stamping out the menace by the district administration.