Plastic ban goes up in smoke in Amritsar

The Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to effectively enforce the ban on single-use plastic and polythene carry bags, leading to a continued threat to the environment due to their rampant usage. The so-called ban has largely remained symbolic as shopkeepers and vendors across the city continue to sell and use plastic products openly, while the authorities concerned appear to be indifferent towards the issue.

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Despite environmental hazards posed by plastic, the Municipal Corporation has taken minimal action this year, issuing only 15 challans between April and now, with just five violators paying fine totalling Rs 4,500.

Last year, however, the MC had launched a more proactive campaign against single-use plastic items. Health officers, chief sanitary inspectors and sanitary inspectors conducted field raids at manufacturing units and vendor shops selling plastic items.

Between April 2024 and March 2025, a total of 1,024 challans were issued to violators. Over the past three years, the MC issued 1,979 challans in total. Yet, the momentum of the campaign has declined sharply with the passage of time.

Notable past actions include a raid at a factory near the Hakima Gate police station. During the raid, it was revealed that several other such factories were operating in nearby lanes. In 2023, another raid at Chhota Haripura led to the seizure of 85 kg of plastic carry bags. However, in recent months, there has been no significant action against manufacturers.

According to the current penalty structure, first-time offenders using polythene are fined Rs 1,000, with second-time fine of Rs 2,000 and the matter goes to court on the third violation. For wholesalers, the penalties are Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 for the first and second offences, respectively, with court action on the third violation. Manufacturers face Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh for the first and second offence, respectively, with further violations resulting in legal proceedings.

On March 11, the Municipal Corporation’s Sanitary Inspectors Association submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner, highlighting the unregulated sale of polythene bags and disposable items such as plates, glasses and spoons in streets and markets. They requested the formation of a joint task force involving the corporation’s Sanitation Department and the Punjab Pollution Control Board to target factories manufacturing these banned items.

Health officer Kiran Kumar stated that while daily challans were being issued against shopkeepers, conflicts frequently arose during these operations. He emphasised that the corporation was continuously acting against both vendors and users of single-use plastic items and was simultaneously running awareness campaigns to discourage its use.

Under the Amritsar Smart City project, 40 bottle crusher or reverse vending machines were installed in two phases across different locations, with a budget of Rs 2.5 crore. Although the operational and maintenance responsibilities were assigned to a company, the machines often face damage due to improper usage, such as people inserting stones and empty wrappers, undermining their intended purpose.