Before banning the plastic packaging, the high court in 2010 had constituted a committee to identify food items that are sold in non-biodegradable packets.
The then additional chief secretary, Sarojini Ganju Thakur, headed the committee, but the report was not convincing.
Subsequently, the court constituted another committee asking it to draw a list of junk foods packed in non-biodegradable packs and submit its report on November 30, 2012. This committee too did not submit its report on time.
The committee identified chips, wafers, biscuits, namkeen, candy, chewing gum, ice-cream, chocolates, noodles, sugary cereals, cornflakes, pizzas, burgers, patties and French fries.
The court had maintained that sale of such food stuff in bio-degradable packing might slightly raise prices of these items, but in case the consumption of these items was reduced (owing to price rise), paying extra money would be worth to protect the environment and children's health.