Govt orders have little impact on plastic ban

Vijayawada (NTR District): Neither the Central government's ultimatum to all States to prohibit plastic usage nor Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's clarion call to the authorities to forbid use of plastic items including plastic banners had a little impact on plastic ban.

The ban on single-use plastic in the State remain unimplemented. The departments concerned allegedly are inactive in implementation even after having proper guidelines to enforce plastic ban.

As per the government guidelines, use of single-use plastic, sales, stocking and distributing are banned from July 1 this year.

But not being implemented practically. Still the authorities have been searching reasons to quote rather than implementing the government orders.

According to the orders of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued on August 12, 2021, plastic covers, plates, plastic cups, glasses, polystyrene (Thermometer) for decoration, straw, trays, which have less than 100 microns thickness, to be banned. Likewise, carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic less than 75 microns are already banned.

Compared to the use of plastic items like tubs, boxes and toys, which have the potential of durability for long lasting, plastic carry bags can be more dangerous and it will cause damage to the environment immediately. But carry bags have become a party of everyone's life.

AP Pollution Control Board, NTR and Krishna districts EE T Prasada Rao informed that they have set up special teams for enforcing plastic ban. He said that they had already informed the people of both NTR and Krishna districts about the ban on single-use plastic. The Pollution Control Board authorities seized several tons of plastic and closed a mega unit of plastic manufacture in Vijayawada.

"We decided to start strict enforcement activities from Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and expand to all the municipalities in both the districts in a phased manner. Lack of enough personnel and transfers of employees have delayed the process," EE Prasada Rao said and assured that they will take strict action against plastic items manufacturers and sellers.