**Bhubaneswar: ** Even though Odisha Government has imposed restrictions on use of polythene below 40 micron width on February 7, 2011 owing to the perils posed to both the environment and health of human beings and animals, tangible enforcement is still elusive.
Use of polythene bags below permissible limits is rampant despite the five-year-old ban imposed by the State Administration.
Besides choking and clogging the city drainage system resulting in artificial flooding during monsoon and unseasonal rains, herbivorous animals, especially the stray cows and bulls, are falling prey to the polythene menace since it is not biodegradable.
Notably, the Odisha Government had banned use and sale of the polythene carry bags below 40 microns as they are neither reusable nor recyclable for other uses.
Sources revealed that the reusable polythene bags are costly as a result of which the traders prefer the low quality banned products over others. Even the eco-friendly bags are not being manufactured in Odisha.
As per expert’s view, the black polythene carry bags generally preferred to take home non-vegetarian products like chicken, fish, mutton, eggs, etc, are more harmful to health. As the manufacturers use harmful chemicals to increase the opacity of the product, the food products coming in contact with the black-coloured polythene bags become poisonous.
Moreover, the waste treatment plant on the outskirts of the capital city here, at Daruthenga, is yet to be set up and operational due to the vehement protest by the villagers.
OMMCOM NEWS tried to collect comments of a cross section of people on the merits and demerits of polythene use.
In his reactions shopkeeper Rabindra Sahu said, “We’re bound down to maintain our bond with the customers when they press on providing polythene bags and even offer paying the charge for it. The government should take action on them then only the ban would be fruitful.”
On the other hand, woman customer Alfa Srichandan opined, “If Rs 10 or 20 for a polythene bag will be charged by the shopkeeper, the customer will automatically stay aloof from the bad practice”.
Amar Satpathy said, “There is need for an effective public awareness on the polythene hazards jointly by the government, NGOs and students in a massive manner with demonstrations on its ill-effects”.
Speaking on the issue, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said, “We on the behalf of BMC have been conducting some awareness campaigns, especially at busy market places and tell people not to use polythene. The Government of India also directed us to set up polythene waste treatment plant.”
Notably, the Orissa High Court in its August 14, 2013 verdict has also asked the State Government to take appropriate steps to ban even selling and distribution of the tricolor (Indian national flag) made of any material other than the one prescribed in the Flag Code of India-2002. The Flag Code mandates that the national flag of India shall be made of hand-spun and hand-woven wool or cotton or silk or khadi bunting.
The Flag Code has also made it clear that the tricolour made of paper might be waved by people on occasions of important national, cultural and sports events, but should not be discarded or thrown on the ground after the event.
It has been observed that vendors selling national flags made of plastic and polythene on Independence Day or Republic Day celebrations make brisk business as school students make a beeline to buy them. However, the parade grounds, roads and even drains and sewerages are littered and chock-a-bloc with those discarded plastic and polythene flags after the celebrations.
Even the Central Government has on March 18 this year banned plastic bags below 50 microns.
Replacing the earlier rules, the Union Environment Ministry has notified new Plastic Waste Management Rules for the country which are more stringent and to be implemented across the country within 6 months.
Under the new rules for manufacturers, distributors, urban local bodies (ULBs) and Gram Panchayats (GPs), the Central Government has banned the manufacturing of plastic bags of below 50 microns as thinner bags pose a major threat to environment due to its non-disposability.
As per the new rules, manufacturers of plastic bags will have to make certain payments to the States for its post-use disposal. The money collected by the States from the manufacturers will be given to the ULBs and GPs for initiating measures to dispose of the plastic bags properly.
The new law has made persons and organisations, including even the political parties, responsible for management of waste generated from the events like political rallies, marriage function, religious gathering or public meetings organised by them.
Manufacturing and use of non-recyclable multi-layered plastic will also be phased out in two years under the new rules.
Under the new rules, plastic carry bags will be available only with shopkeepers/street vendors, pre-registered with local bodies, on payment of certain registration fee and the registration fee collected by the local bodies is to be used for waste management.
Notably, the Supreme Court on November 18, 2014 has slammed the Centre and States for not enforcing a ban on the manufacture and use of plastic bags despite a clear order issued three years earlier.
The apex court in its verdict was also furious about the poor management of plastic waste in most States.
The court had made the observations expressing serious concerns over the death of a large number of cattle that consumed plastic bags.
The issue was then raised by the NGO Karuna Society for Animals and Nature in its public interest petition (PIL) appealing the apex court to direct both the Centre and States to strictly enforce the ban on plastic bags.
