The State administration had ordered the formation of a State level advisory body to monitor the implementation of the ban on polythene in the State in 2012. Though the committee has been formed, it has not yet held its meeting. The officials state that the body will meet in the near future but environmentalists state that the advisory body not holding its meeting in two years only shows that the plastic ban announced by the State in 2012 is little more than a charade.
On July 23, 2012, the then Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain had written to all district magistrates, senior superintendents of police, member secretary of the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board, director Urban Development directorate and director Panchayati Raj department regarding the ban on polythene bags in Uttarakhand. He had written that according to the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011, carry bags of recycled plastic or compostable plastics cannot be used for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging food stuffs; manufacturing, stocking, distribution or sale of any carry bag made of virgin, recycled or compostable plastic less than 40 microns in thickness is prohibited and that sachets using plastic materials shall not be used for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and pan masala. A State level advisory body headed by the secretary, Urban Development department was to be formed to monitor the implementation of these prohibitions, holding its meet once a year. Citizens For Green Doon chief coordinator Dr Nitin Pandey had applied to the Urban Development department under the Right to Information Act seeking information about the members of the State level advisory board and minutes of the board’s meetings held so far. Interestingly, the department forwarded this application to the Forest and Environment department which in turn returned the application to the Urban Development department which was responsible for formation of the said advisory body. Citing the failure of the department to provide the sought information, Dr Pandey said that the ban announced by the State on polythene in Uttarakhand appears to be a sham. “The State announced the ban first and then began working on the policy for this whereas they should have drafted the policy before announcing the ban,” he said. Urban Development director Radhika Jha said that the advisory body has been formed and its meeting will be held soon to monitor implementation of the polythene ban.
It is worth mentioning here that though polythene bags measuring less than 40 microns are banned in Uttarakhand, lack of clarity and halfhearted attempts by the authorities have prevented this ban from being enforced as desired.