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Plastic bags return to Lucknow markets, ban only on paper
Lucknow Municipal Corporation restarts drive against violation; fines will be imposed for each kg of plastic the defaulter is in possession of, say civic authorities
LUCKNOW Plastic bags have returned to the Lucknow markets a year after the Centre banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic (SUP) items for environmental reasons.
A month-long pan-India enforcement campaign was undertaken for the implementation of the ban from July 1 to 31, 2022. But as per a reality check, the plastic ban seemed to be a reality only on paper.
Employees at the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) office at Trilokinath Marg, along with outsiders entering the premises, were seen blatantly using the banned plastic bags.
Most of the tables had use-and-throw plastic bottles kept on them while many people were seen carrying food and other material in polythene bags. This comes especially after the civic body bagged no. 1 spot in the state in collection of single-use plastic during the five-day public awareness campaign titled ‘RACE’ (reduction in plastic usage, awareness among masses, circular solution to disposal and engagement of one and all) in July 2022.
“It is difficult to ban plastic because the government does not have any cheap alternative for it. Last year, vegetable and fruit sellers were penalised and were forced to buy cloth bags, which were expensive,” said Dhananjay Shukla, a vegetable wholesaler at Dubagga mandi.
“The LMC should first shut the units producing banned plastic,” said Rani Kumari, a customer at Chinhat market.
Meanwhile, a look into the packaging of most restaurants associated with online food delivery apps in Lucknow revealed that plastic bags, containers and cutlery are still being used. However, they also provide paper bags and cartons for deliveries.
“It (campaign against plastic) is a steady process and will take some time. Only penalties/challans won’t help. Along with the government, people will also have to bring a change in their habits. In the next one year, we will try to completely remove plastic from the city. The first initiative will begin from the office of LMC,” said Sushma Kharakwal, Lucknow mayor.
“Plastic is banned in the city as well as in our offices. Some outsiders do bring plastic, but our officers are not allowed to use it. However, if some people bring food in plastic bag, stopping them would not be right - we counsel them so that they do not repeat it,” said Inderjeet Singh, municipal commissioner.
“It’s been a week since we reintroduced the campaign against plastic. During this period, the LMC team collected ₹8 lakh in fines from those using single-use plastic. The campaign will continue, and fines will be imposed for each kilo of plastic the defaulter is in possession of,” he emphasised.
WHAT IS BANNED?
*As per a press note on PIB website, the following identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, have been prohibited, with effect from July 1, 2022, under Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021.
•Ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene [thermocol] for decoration.
•Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.
•The notification also prohibits manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags having thickness less than seventy-five microns with effect from September 30, 2021, and having thickness less than thickness of one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the December 31, 2022
