World Environment Day 2018: Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Uttarakhand to ban use of plastics

Standing by this year’s theme of World Environment Day, ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’, governments in different states have come up with initiatives to check the use of plastics. While Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have decided to completely ban the use of plastic, Odisha and West Bengal are creating awareness against the menace of plastic pollution.

Speaking at a plastic recycling initiative, “Bottles for Change”, launched by leading mineral water brand Bisleri on the occasion of the World Environment Day, Maharashtra Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam said, “This is not the first time that plastic has been banned (in Maharashtra). I will not let people die of cancer, animals suffer nor let the environment to be degraded further. Maharashtra will be 100 per cent plastic-free in one year.”

Kadam claimed that 80 per cent of the plastic is smuggled from Gujarat and 20 per cent is manufactured in Maharashtra. He further added that 120 bottled water selling companies in Vasai-Nallasopara areas (on Mumbai
outskirts) are operating illegally and need to be shut down.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced to “gift a plastic-free” state to the future generations, hence banning the use of plastic items, including non-biodegradable bags, from January 2019.

Excluding plastic sachets used to pack milk, curd and oil, besides those used to wrap medical products, “the Amma government has decided to ban non-biodegradable plastic covers, plates, cups, water packets, straws and bags,” said Palaniswami.

New Delhi

Delhi High Court Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal on Tuesday emphasised the need of preserving the environment and encouraged the younger generation to plant more trees and do away with the use of plastic.

Taking forward the “Greening Delhi” initiative of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority, Justice Mittal laid focus on “not to use plastic glasses, bottles, plates, etc. as it is very difficult to decompose”.

Jharkhand

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Jharkhand is set to become plastic free by the next World Environment Day, Chief Minister Raghubar Das announced on Tuesday while addressing a programme on the World Environment Day.

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat put a complete ban on the use of polythene in the state, effective July 31. A week before the ban, a mass awareness campaign focused on environmental damage caused by polythene would be undertaken in the state, Rawat said.

All polythene wholesalers have been directed to exhaust their stocks by July 31 and sought cooperation from people to make the state plastic free.

Uttar Pradesh

Schoolchildren and employees of the Indian Oil refinery participated in a rally in Mathura, dressed in green, to raise awareness of the ill-effects of use of plastic. The participants held placards and Executive Director of Mathura Refinery L W Khongwir said, “We have started a crusade against plastic.”

Sikkim

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Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling called for a ban on the use of plastic and said that it the duty of the people to protect the environment from hazards and provide a healthy environment for the future generations.

“Sikkim is the first state in the country to ban the use of plastics as early as in 1998, it was one of our foremost initiatives towards environmental protection after we formed the government in December 1994,” he said.

Odisha

Spreading awareness of the ill-use of plastic, Koraput forest division in Odisha came up with an idea to buy plastic bottles from residents and business establishments to reuse them.

The forest division is paying the owner of plastic bottles 50 paise as an incentive for each plastic bottle as part of their campaign.

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“We want to buy as much bottles as we can. Saplings can be placed in the cut bottles and hung in offices. We plan to develop an entire garden with saplings in plastic bottles,” said P Poornima, divisional forest officer, Koraput.

West Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too urged people against the use of plastic. “Today is World Environment Day. Following this year’s theme, let us pledge to beat plastic pollution. Let us pledge to make every day #WorldEnvironmentDay,” the CM tweeted Tuesday morning.

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) today organised a programme at its headquarters on this occasion. Speaking at the programme, Kalyan Rudra, the chairman of WBPCB, said people need to take “constructive steps” to end the menace of plastic pollution.

“We must refrain from burning plastic openly. Also, people should stop littering plastic waste on roads, water
bodies and sea beaches. Whenever you use plastic carry bags, ensure that the thickness is more than 50 microns,” he said.

Himachal Pradesh

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According to IANS report, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced on Tuesday banned the use of thermacol plates as well as plastic water bottles less than one litre capacity at official functions.

Marking the World Environment Day, he further said that each student of a government school in the state would be provided with a steel bottle to discourage the use of plastic bottles at a state-level function at Sundernagar town in Mandi district.

(With PTI inputs)

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