MC fails to implement ban on single-use plastic in Amritsar city

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, April 21

World Earth Day is being observed on the theme ‘Planet vs plastic’, but the authorities in Amritsar are not doing anything satisfactory to curb the use of plastic. The theme aims to bring attention to the serious issue of plastic pollution and how it harms nature.

Despite a ban on the use of polythene bags, shopkeepers continue to violate the guidelines by selling commodities in polythene bags. Fruits and vegetable vendors also sell their produce in polythene bags. However, MC conducts raids on wholesalers and manufacturing units regularly, but has found no solution to stop its manufacturing and bulk sale. The single-use plastic items — straws, cutlery, ear buds, packaging films, and plastic sticks for balloons — are available in the market and generate huge plastic waste.

Under the planet versus plastic drive on Earth Day, religious leaders were urged to have places of worship declared as plastic-free zones. The SGPC provides plastic bags of recommended micron to keep prasad. Most of the stores and shopping centres in the city use paper bags. The authorities also failed to make the public aware and educate the people to segregate plastic waste.

The water bodies are largely getting contaminated by plastic bags and other goods in the city. The residents throw bags inside the Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC), even after the MC installed warning boards against it.

The civil society members claimed that there was no logic in announcing a ban and then making no serious efforts in implementing it. The authorities should keep a regular check to implement the ban. “When the ban order had come into force, the shopkeepers had stopped using polythene bags for a few days. Even the administration had kept a strict watch on the situation. But now, nobody is bothered. There should be strict enforcement of ban; not only the manufacturers and wholesalers, but the users and retailers should also face consequences,” said Randhir Sharma, a resident.