Garbage bags dragged into city plastic ban

The Delhi government’s decision to impose blanket ban on manufacture, sale, storage and use of plastic bags may benefit the environment in the long run, but for now it will inconvenience the people.

The Delhi government’s decision to impose blanket ban on manufacture, sale, storage and use of plastic bags may benefit the environment in the long run, but for now it will inconvenience the people.

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The decision taken at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday does not offer any alternative.

A notification will be issued in a week’s time, following which factories producing plastic bags will have to shut shop. There are 400 manufacturing units in Delhi.

Sanjiv Kumar, secretary (environment and forest), Delhi government said, “There will be a slight inconvenience...but it is for the larger good.”

The ban means Delhites will have to arrange for carry bags every time they go shopping, be it to the local vegetable market or to a fancy mall.

An even bigger problem will be garbage disposal. Most households and commercial establishments use plastic disposable bags for garbage collection, something which will have to stop.