As the country prepares to ban single-use plastic, plastic with less than 50 microns thickness, by the end of 2022, the administration of one of the two youngest districts in Telangana, Narayanpet, has taken up an initiative to get rid of such plastic harmful to the environment.
The district administration plans effective enforcement of the ban on plastic with less than 50 microns by creating an awareness about the drive among all sections.
“We are aware of the fact that enforcement is not going to be successful unless proper awareness is created among every section linked to use of such plastic,” District Collector S. Venkata Rao told The Hindu, explaining about the plans. As most of such harmful plastic is used in the form of carry bags, the focus of the drive is on vendors, he stated.
By taking into account all challenges linked to the effective enforcement of the ban, the Narayanpet district administration has set itself an ambitious goal of banning all plastic carry bags and sheets with thickness of less than 50 microns by the year-end.Although there is a ban on “manufacture, stock, sale and use of plastic carry bags with less than 50 microns” from December 30, 2016, in the State as part of Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016, as issued under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, lack of effective implementation has left it remain only on paper for all practical purposes.
“We believe that effective enforcement is possible only by creating sustained awareness at different levels so that every one develops a sense that use of such plastic is harmful to the environment,” Mr. Venkata Rao said. They plan to explain to the stakeholders how such single-use plastic would harm the environment – soil, water and air.
Mr. Venkata Rao maintained that imposing penalty on violations was not the only remedy but awareness would hold the key to its success. To begin with, a workshop was conducted at Narayanpet on July 16 with all stakeholders – district level, mandal level and Gram Panchayat level staff. Later, mandal level meetings were conducted with government and local bodies’ employees and students of schools and colleges.
An action plan was prepared for implementation of single-use plastic ban and seven committees were formed. A district-wide campaign was launched on awareness creation with “shramdaan” on August 27, where in school and college students participated in 280 GPs and three municipalities took part to spread the message of ill-effects of harmful plastic use.