Well, friends if I say that while carrying a poly bag in your hand while returning home from shop bringing in it the items of daily use, you will be fined minimum Rs 50 ranging till Rs 25000. It might be hard to believe or you may call me telling you this entire not the citizen of our country, India wherein a large section of the population does use a plastic bag. The surprising truth is in India, plastic bags are banned. In spite of a law in the constitution we all are using it. We all are denying and disrespecting our own constitution. Seeing this does it really makes sense to call ourselves citizens of the country. In 2011-12 about 321violators were fined and in 2012-13 only 108 violators were fined. Moreover, let me aware you with another bitter truth also. “Gurgaon authorities have not fined anyone for using plastic bags since May 2013. Reason: They don’t have ‘challan books’.” The government has banned plastic items which are less than 50 microns in the thickness while any form of plastic carry bags are also outlawed. It is surprising, how the law has never caught up with most of us, who have violated it many times. Isn’t it very shameful for the people of a country wherein they hold government responsible for the restriction of development of a country. My fellow citizens, there is a need to seek a solution to this problem because if only for once this problem slips from our hands we won’t be able to do anything and result as we all are aware will be very disastrous and will ruin all forms of life on Earth and then we will be helpless, capable of doing nothing.
“This is a very sensitive issue that forced the government to ban manufacture, distribution and selling of polythene bags below 40 microns,” said former forest and environment minister in Haryana government captain Ajay Singh.
“The digestive system of animals breakdown after they eat polythene bags. (but) we have no records of animal death due to consumption of polythene bags,” said Rajendra Yadav, director, animal husbandry.
“Hundreds of thousands of shops are operating in the city without license and they are selling polythene bags. The MCG has power to seize their license,” said an official of pollution department.
“We are witness to several such homeless cows died after consuming plastic bags. We started a campaign some time back to save these homeless animals. To treat such animals there is only one hospital available in the state of Karnal,”said president of NGO Walk for animals Habitat, Amita Singh.
These are some of the dialogues been put forward by various officials but what about the actions? Is the implementation of laws being done correctly by officials as well as we, the ones on whom they are implemented. Well, the answer to this question is NO. The most common thing in our bins is polythene bags. In fact, garbage bags itself are made of polythene but unlike other garbage these are non-biodegradable and therefore hazardous if they are dumped like any other waste.
Let us know some rules on plastic products
Carry bags shall either be white or made using only those pigments and colours, which are in comformity with Indian standard IS 9833: 1981
No person shall use carry bags made of recycled plastics for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging food stuffs.
No person shall manufacture, stock, distribute, or sale any carry bag made of virgin or recycled or compostable plastic which is less than 40 microns in thickness.
Sachets using plastic material shall not be used for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and paan masala.
There is a blanket ban on burning of plastic in open.
Now let us once again come to the point we started with. Anyone with the plastic bag can be find at least Rs. 50. Shops storing bags will be fined according to the weight of the stock
Rs 50 is minimum fine
Rs 500 for 100gm
Rs 1500 for 100-500gm
Rs 3000 for 500 to 1kg
Rs 10000 for 1kg to 5kg
Rs 20,000 for 5kg to 10kg
Rs 25000 for 10kg+
Ok, so next question might be Who can fine you?
Well, anyone from district magistrate to marketing committee can do it. ADCs, DDPOs, SDM, City magistrate, MCG commissioner and joint commissioners, municipal committee secretaries, EO Huda, executive engineers public health, district food supply officer, DTP, BDOs, tehsildar, naib tehsildar, RO HSPCB….
I think this much is enough to warn you for storing plastic bags.
- Heartiest thanks to Hindustan Times for sharing their concern over this issue…
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