Kangra mulls plastic management

Dharamsala, July 13

A workshop on “Plastic Waste Management” was held at the DRDA conference hall in Dharamsala, which highlighted ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’. It enables plastic collecting and processing units to get credit points from the companies that bring plastic into the ecosystem.

Presiding over the workshop, the Member Secretary of HP State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB), Anil Joshi, shared details of the newly coined regulations, aimed at the safe disposal of solid waste and also plastic management as per the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) guidelines.

Joshi briefed the house about the concept of the EPR and duties of the urban local bodies (ULBs) and plastic waste processors as per the guidelines laid down by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2022. He further informed the house that the High Court of Himachal Pradesh had taken a note on the need for effective implementation of the EPR guidelines in the matter of the CPW No. 2369 of 2018, and was strictly monitoring its progress.

Talking to The Tribune, the Member Secretary said, “The EPR guidelines would help check the nuisance due to littering by paving the way for its safe disposal. Therefore, it would be mandatory on part of company to ensure that it brings back the plastic it has pumped into the ecosystem.”

Detailed preparations on the EPR guidelines and portal, formed by the CPCB for the registration of plastic waste processors (PWPs), PIBOs and ULBs were done.

Dharamsala Municipal Commissioner Zaffar Iqbal detailed the current status of the plastic waste management in the town and stated that the plastic would be channelised to registered PWPs only and requested other ULBs to do the same.

Kangra Additional Deputy Commissioner Saurab Jassal directed block development officers (BDOs) to set up and ensure effective management at plastic waste management units.

Waste Warriors NGO, which is undertaking waste collection, waste management consultancy, event waste management and other related projects in Dharamsala, shared their experience with the participants and highlighted the need of integration of rural sector into the EPR model.

At the meeting Executive Officers, Secretaries of ULBs of Kangra, Hamirpur and Chamba districts, along with BDOs, were present.