Maharashtra to ban plastic bags by March 2018

The main reason for the 2005 deluge was plastic which came out on streets in large number choking water pipelines and killing many animals and people. Post the deluge, to reduce the plastic menace, the state put a ban on the use of plastic bags below 50 microns. Yet, neither the shopkeepers charged fine on selling plastic bags nor people stopped using plastic bags.

Such is the case, that people cannot imagine buying veggies or things without the use of plastic bags. Though there are other alternatives, there is lack of awareness, because of which now the state has planned to ban plastic bags by March-April 2018. The state knows that it is not easy for which, they will organise a campaign which will help citizens, vendors and local administration to accept the ban without any hassle.

The state will be handing over the pocket-sized booklet about alternative packaging material to street vendors and shop owners.

The idea is to educate the public on how to switch to paper or cloth bags. For this, we are in the process of developing a manual that will be distributed to all the 27 civic bodies across Maharashtra,” Satish Gavai, additional chief secretary, state environment department to Hindustan Times. 

He added that the concerned meetings with local bodies will be conducted by November-end.

The ban on plastic bags will be effective from Gudi Padwa (Maharashtrian New Year) on March 18, 2018. This decision was taken after state ministers met Maharashtra Pollution Control Board member (MPCB) secretary PN Anbalagan at Mantralaya in the month of September.

Almitra Patel, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan national expert and member of the committee that drafted the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, told Hindustan Times about how banning plastic bags is not sufficient.

If you want to reduce plastic, the focus should not only be towards plastic bags but all other non-essential plastics such as snack food packaging, milk sachets, magazine plastic covers, plastics on invitation cards and bread wrappers. There should be a mandate to make all these recyclable or provide an alternative,” Almitra Patel, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan national expert.

During the ban, the state will bring in NGOs which will provide paper and cloth bags to persuade people using plastic bags.