Ludhiana: Despite facing significant environmental challenges due to the widespread use of plastic carry bags, the civic officials in the industrial town have failed to curb their usage. These non-biodegradable bags continue to pollute the city, choke sewerage systems, and exacerbate garbage issues. The authorities have even halted the drive against plastic carry bags for reasons known only to them.
The civic body has conducted sporadic drives to seize banned plastic carry bags in the past, but the impact has been minimal. Political interference has hindered progress, and the lack of public cooperation worsens the issue. During his five-year term, former mayor Balkar Sandhu repeatedly urged residents to shun plastic carry bags and emphasised the need for sustainable alternatives, but to no avail.

Even awareness drives have been conducted to educate the public about alternative measures. Civic officials organised rallies, distributed cloth and paper bags, and encouraged traders to adopt eco-friendly practices. Notably, a small vegetable market was declared plastic-free, but the momentum was lost during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent assembly elections, after which it failed to regain pace.
An official revealed that over 70% of the city’s issues stem from plastic carry bags, citing sewerage blockages and solid waste problems. “Real change will only come when the public stops using plastic carry bags,” he emphasised.
Chief sanitary officer Ashwani Sahota, when contacted about the drive, said: “The staff was busy with the ongoing sanitation drive, which is why we were unable to carry out the drive against plastic carry bags. We have limited staff, but in the coming days, we will resume the challaning drive.”
To tackle the problem, the civic body had even installed a shredder at the hot mix plant on Hambran Road so that seized plastic carry bags could be disposed of and utilised in road construction. Officials claimed that now, with the drive not being carried out, plastic carry bags are not reaching the shredder. They also said that they would not be able to use the plastic in road construction at their level, so they have instructed contractors to arrange the plastic waste as per their requirements and use it in road construction.
The state government first introduced the Punjab Plastic Carry Bag Act in 2005, regulating the manufacture and use of plastic carry bags. The Act was amended in 2016, imposing a complete ban on manufacturing, stocking, and using plastic carry bags in the state.