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Year on, a mere 363 challans issued by Ludhiana MC over single-use plastics
Ludhiana MC has been organising campaigns and awareness drives, urging residents to avoid plastic bags and switch to eco-friendly alternatives such as cloth and jute bags
The action against single-use plastics has been lax as the municipal corporation has only issued 363 challans since October 1, 2023, according to government data. The 363 challans have amounted to ₹1.61 lakh in fines, the data says.
In previous years, the civic body had issued over 10,000 challans each in 2019 and 2020. However, MC officials did not disclose the numbers for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
MC officials cited the lack of action to a shortage of resources and manpower. “Our team is stretched thin as it is. Plastic ban enforcement has been challenging without additional manpower,” said an MC official, requesting not to be named. “We’ve been focusing on raising awareness, but enforcement is essential if we’re to see a real impact,” the official added.
The MC has been organising campaigns and awareness drives, urging residents to avoid plastic bags and switch to eco-friendly alternatives such as cloth and jute bags.
Chief sanitary inspector Ashwani Sahota said, “This year, challans have been issued less and we are going to conduct a drive against single-use plastic bags soon.”
Street stalls, marketplaces and schools have hosted these drives aimed at educating the public on the environmental hazards of single-use plastics. Locals and environmentalists claim plastic bags remain available at nearly every shop and street vend.
Many shopkeepers continue to use single-use plastics, citing a lack of affordable alternatives and high customer demand. Residents raised concerns, claiming single-use plastic bags are being used unchecked in local markets.
“It is confusing. We are told to avoid plastic but almost every shop gives them out. There is a lack of enforcement,” said Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Zone C.
Environmental activists urged the MC to adopt a stricter approach. They said that without fines and regular inspections, the awareness campaigns alone are not enough to curb plastic usage.
“Awareness needs to be paired with strong action,” said a local environmentalist.
MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal was not available for comments.
