Hyderabad: A city-based forum on Wednesday wrote to the Telangana chief secretary, urging for strict implementation of the central government’s plastic ban.
The Forum for Good Governance mentioned that the Central Government’s notification amending Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2021 prohibiting the manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of SUP, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene commodities came into effect July 1 2022.
The banned items include earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration, plastic cutlery, invitation cards, cigarette packets and plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns.
“Unfortunately, widespread use of prohibited SUP continues in Telangana and the Authorities are not serious in implementing the rules. Hawkers, shopkeepers and the general public hardly have any knowledge about the use of SUP. Banners are found everywhere,” they said.
The forum said that if strict action is taken against the manufacturers, transporters and sellers of SUP and they are made to switch to biodegradable SUP, the problem will be solved.
They also stated that there was a need for public awareness, and implementation of the rules of the notification, which hold local bodies responsible for the development and setting up of infrastructure for segregation, collection, storage transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste.
The provision of fines must be utilised, they stated. A spot fine can be levied by local bodies- ranging from Rs 500 on individuals for using and littering SUPs and Rs 5000 on institutional waste generators and up to Rs 2,00,000 on manufacturers, dealers, stockists, wholesalers, and retailers. If caught a third time, prosecution can also be an outcome, the forum mentioned.
