Tribune News Servic

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, February 24

While industrialists from across the state and beyond congregate at Mohali to discuss investment opportunities at the 5th Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit 2023, a Jalandhar-based NGO is using the occasion to draw attention to the environment and the catastrophic impact of plastic.

Won't rest until ban implemented

The Action Group Against Plastic Pollution has been writing to CM Bhagwant Mann requesting a meeting since June 21, 2022… Punjab must totally ban the manufacture, stocking and distribution of all single-use plastic. We will not rest until that happens. — Dr Navneet Bhullar, AGAPP founder

For the past two days, members of the AGAPP (Action Group Against Plastic Pollution) have been protesting outside the Indian School of Business, Mohali, to raise their voice against the non-implementation of the single-use plastic in the state. While single-use plastic was banned in 2016, NGO members are peeved that plastic is still “everywhere” and has ravaged the state environment.

Members of the NGO who have been staying put to protest at the summit include Dr Navneet Bhullar, founder of the Jalandhar-based Apar NGO and AGAPP; activist Kiranjeet from Patiala; and Hari Om Jindal, a Ludhiana-based advocate. They reach the site at 10.30 am and stand at the sidewalk with a dozen posters scattered around them reading — ‘plastic manufacture is killing us’; ‘plastic is not just a litter issue, manufacturing petrochemicals for plastic is polluting air and oceans’, ‘Plastic da nirmaan, maar reha insaan’; “plastic has no end of life, it is in my blood”.

AGAPP was founded in 2020 with a singular aim to eliminate the use of single-use plastic. The NGO says in April 2016, Punjab banned the single-use plastic with an amendment to the Punjab Carry Bag Control Act. As a result of which plastic carry bags of all thicknesses are banned in state, in addition to “disposable” plastic utensils, forks and spoons. However, the use of all these items remains rampant and uncurbed. Nothing has changed even after the central ban on single-use plastic from July 1, 2022 onwards.

Doctor by profession, AGAPP founder Dr Navneet Bhullar said, “We tried tying up with other NGOs and people who share the common cause with us to come along. Calls were made to several people. But in the end, only three people were willing. We decided to go ahead anyway. We believe it is imperative the state government act on the issue soon or it will be too late.”

Since November 2021, AGAPP has held protests in (MC and PPCB) Ludhiana, (MC) Jalandhar, (PPCB) Patiala and (Dept of Local Bodies) Chandigarh as well as written to three CMs. AGAPP members have met the PPCB Chairman, the Municipal Commissioners of Ludhiana and Jalandhar. In October 2022, it met the Ludhiana DC who promised to summon a meeting of NGOs to plan implementation of the ban, but did not. AGAPP activist Dr Ashima Shourie says: “Except a few stores, everyone continues to give plastic carry bags. It gives us nightmares.”