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Ban on plastic bags: Ludhiana industry to raise agitation on July 31
Amid resistance from the industry, imposing a ban on plastic bags has become a challenging task for the civic body
Imposing a ban on plastic bags in the city continues to remain a challenge for the municipal corporation (MC) amid political interference and pressure mounted by the plastic industry.
Even as the state government had imposed a complete ban on the use and trade of plastic carry bags in April 2016, the MC has failed to impose it here for the last five years.
After mayor Balkar Sandhu announced to ban plastic carry bags from August 1, the plastic manufacturers and traders’ association again announced an agitation against the decision on July 31.
Gurdeep Singh Batra, president of Plastic Manufacturers and Traders Association, said, “The matter regarding the announcement of the ban was discussed in the state-level meeting of the association held in the city on Saturday. We have decided to raise an agitation against the decision. Banning plastic carry bags is not a solution to the problem and we have been taking up the matter since 2016. The MC should work on solid waste management and the industry will also support the civic body in the same. Like the union government, the state government should allow plastic carry bags with width up to 50 microns.”
“There are 1,800 manufacturers and traders in the state. If the MC bans single-use plastic including, carry bags, the industry will suffer losses of thousands of crores. It will also lead to large-scale unemployment and result in loss to the government as its revenue collection through GST will be affected. The banned bags are also being supplied from other states. How is the government planning to stop them? The government and the MC should review the decision. We, along with our workers and families, will stage a peaceful protest outside the office of MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal in large numbers on July 31,” said Batra.
Puneet Makhija, general secretary of Kesar Ganj Plastic Merchant Association, said rather than banning plastic carry bags, the government should install dustbins in the markets and work on managing the waste. Enforcement should be there to prevent the dumping of garbage in the open.
One of the MC officials, requesting anonymity, said this will again put pressure on the government ahead of assembly elections, which will further affect the drive.
Despite repeated attempts, mayor Balkar Sandhu remained unavailable for comments.
Ban on plastic carry bags must save the environment: Seechewal
Environmentalist and member of NGT monitoring committee Balbir Seechewal said that plastic carry bags need to be banned. “Apart from damaging the environment, the plastic waste also chokes sewer lines and pollutes the water bodies. Directions have been issued to the MC and PPCB to impose the ban, but they have failed to do so. The matter will be raised in the next meeting of the NGT monitoring committee,” he said.
MC general house approves resolution
Even as the civic body is struggling to impose a ban on plastic carry bags, the MC general house had approved a resolution to ban single-use plastic in the city during its meeting on July 14. An MC health branch official, requesting anonymity, said the department is yet to finalize the list of items that have to be banned. The resolution has been approved just to complete a formality under the ‘Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge 2021-22, he added.
