Continuing the weekly protest against the Municipal Corporation (MC) and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) authorities over their alleged failure to impose a ban on plastic carry bags in the city, members of Jalandhar based non-governmental organisation (NGO) Action Group Against Plastic Pollution (AGAPP) staged a protest outside MC zone D office on Wednesday.
The protesting members later submitted a memorandum with the office of MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal.
The NGO members have been protesting outside the PPCB office for the last two weeks, having staged similar demonstrations outside the MC office in preceding weeks.
Members of another NGO Fikar-e-hondh led by Sukhwinder Lally also joined the protest.
The major concern for protesters remains the PPCB and civic body’s respective failure to stop the manufacturing and the usage of the banned carry bags, which were banned by the state in April 2016.
AGAPP member Gunwant Singh said they despite their month-long protest, during which they also submitted a memorandum with MC Commission on January 22, the authorities have failed to act on the issue.
“We will continue to stage weekly protests outside the offices of PPCB and MC until the ban is imposed in the industrial hub of the state, as not only the environment, but human lives are also being impacted because of the use to use of plastic. The government should encourage the public to use compostable bags,” Singh added.
{{/usCountry}}“We will continue to stage weekly protests outside the offices of PPCB and MC until the ban is imposed in the industrial hub of the state, as not only the environment, but human lives are also being impacted because of the use to use of plastic. The government should encourage the public to use compostable bags,” Singh added.
{{/usCountry}}NGO to submit complaint with local bodies department, Election Commission of India
Speaking about their future course of action, Singh said they have planned to submit a complaint with the local bodies department and Election Commission of India on Friday, seeking a ban on plastic carry bags.
“We will also demand that the political parties should also be stopped from using plastic during campaigning for the upcoming elections,” he added.