NGO protests outside PPCB office over failure to stop manufacture of plastic bags

Members of the Action Group Against Plastic Pollution staged a protest outside the office of Punjab Pollution Control Board office in Focal point area, Ludhiana, over the alleged failure of department to stop manufacturing and use of banned plastic carry bags; they also criticised the civic body for not taking proper action

Members of Action Group Against Plastic Pollution (AGAPP), Jalandhar-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), on Wednesday staged a protest outside the office of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) in Focal point area over the board’s alleged failure to stop manufacturing the banned plastic carry bags in the district.

Members of NGO-AGAPP staging a protest outside the office of PPCB in Ludhiana over the alleged failure of department to stop manufacturing and use of banned plastic carry bags. (HT File)

The members carried placards against plastic pollution and raised slogans against the authorities for failing to perform their duty and action against the culprits.

The members rued the state government failure to ban plastic carry bags despite issuing a notification in April 2016, adding that it was the joint responsibility of PPCB and Municipal Corporation (MC) to stop manufacturing, sale and use of the bags.

Notably, the NGO has been staging weekly protests outside the civic body’s office since last month.

“We were surprised to know that PPCB and MC never conducted a meeting in this regard in the last six years. The PPCB has to stop manufacturing and MC has to stop the trade and use of plastic carry bags. But there is a lack of coordination between both departments. We have demanded that PPCB should convene a meeting wherein MC officials and plastic industry representatives should also be invited, so that corrective steps can be taken,” Navneet Bhullar, founding member of the NGO.