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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Delhi government may impose blanket ban on plastic bags-Ambika Pandit & Neha Lalchandani

Delhi government may impose blanket ban on plastic bags-Ambika Pandit & Neha Lalchandani

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published Published on Sep 11, 2012   modified Modified on Sep 11, 2012
-The Economic Times

After one failed attempt in 2009, the Delhi government is making yet another effort to make plastic bags history in Delhi. This time the proposed blanket ban comes with zero tolerance to even plastic used to cover school books, magazines and invitation cards. These are some of the provisions of a proposal of the environment department for imposing a ban on not just sale and use but even manufacture of plastic bags.

If the proposal is cleared at a meeting of the Delhi cabinet likely to be held on Tuesday, the city will have to prepare for life without plastic bags. The government has one year to implement the ban from the time the notification is issued. The plastic material used to manufacture bags of all sizes, colours and weight will be banned. For the first time the government has decided to crack down on manufacturing as well to tackle the problem at the roots.

The government proposal says that plastic carry bags are disposed off in an irresponsible manner and have a detrimental effect on the environment. "This blanket ban is justified on the ground that not only does plastic have an adverse impact on environment and ecology but also causes blockage of gutters, sewerage system and drains," says the policy document .

The ambitious proposal lays down that no person shall manufacture, import, store, sell or transport any kind of plastic bag in the area that makes up the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. It stipulates that no person, including a shopkeeper, vendor, wholesaler, retailer, trader and hawker, shall sell or store or use any kind of plastic carry bag for storing or dispensing eatables or non-eatable goods or materials . This means that plastic bags will not be allowed for even throwing kitchen garbage.

The proposed ban, however , makes one exception. It will allow use of plastic bags as specified under the Bio-Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998. As with the existing ban, it will be the responsibility of the member secretary of Delhi Pollution Control Committee to ensure that the guidelines are implemented.

The ban was implemented in the city for the first time in January 2009 but failed miserably due to several loopholes. After an initial crackdown, most of the responsibility fell on DPCC's shoulders as none of the other designated agencies carried out a single raid.

Since manufacturing was not banned, bags produced ostensibly for other markets found their way into Delhi.

"The ban had not been imposed uniformly and neither were all kinds of bags banned. This time it has been ensured that no kind of bag will be permitted and more agencies have been roped in to ensure compliance," said sources.

In 2011, the government had called for objections and suggestions on a draft notification dated September 29 for prohibiting all kinds of plastic bags.

A committee was constituted by the government to study the suggestions and objections. This committee concluded that taking into consideration the nature and seriousness of the problems and the scant respect and commitment shown by industries and traders associations for the existing norm of 40 microns thickness (i.e 40 microns or more allowed), a ban prohibiting manufacture , import, storing, selling and transporting of any kind of plastic carry bags be notified. 

The Economic Times, 11 September, 2012, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/delhi-government-may-impose-blanket-ban-on-plastic-bags/articleshow/16347640.cms


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