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Delhi's famous Lajpat Nagar market welcomed the ban on single-use plastic that came into effect on Friday across the country.
Kuldeep Kumar, General Secretary of Pushpa Market, Lajpat Nagar said that this called it a "very good decision", saying that they already have stopped single-use plastic in their shops. "We welcome this decision. We know that plastic is not good for the environment as well as our health. Now, we need to think about that. We can't leave everything to the government. We must take steps to stop single-use plastic," Kumar told ANI. A local resident, Jyoti said that the use of single-use plastic has increased very rapidly in the last several years, and now the government has taken a very good decision. "Implementation of this decision is some difficulty. But, with an awareness drive and strict penalties, we can achieve our goal. It is a very good decision," Jyoti said. Sham Sunder Sharma, President of Pushpa Market of Lajpat Nagar said that the government must take action against manufacturing units of single-use plastic. "An awareness drive is already going on and we have stopped single-use plastic. But, there are thousands of manufacturing units of single-use plastic. Government must take action against these units," he said. Under the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale and use of any single-use plastic has been banned. Sticks, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice cream sticks, polystyrene for decoration (thermocol), plastic plates, plastic cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette boxes Trays, wrapping or packing film less than 100 microns, stirrers, etc. are banned including plastic or PVC banners. The trade of single-use plastic across the country is estimated to be around 20 thousand crores annually. A National Control Room has been established in the Central Pollution Control Board to monitor the enforcement of the ban, besides asking the state boards to undertake comprehensive Awareness activities including social media campaigns, and interactive meetings with industries, colleges, schools and other institutions. The state boards have further been directed to intensify inspections of industrial and commercial establishments for effective implementation of the ban. In line with the clarion call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to phase out single-use plastic items by 2022, the environment ministry had notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12 August 2021. Earlier in the day, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also appealed to people to avoid using single-use plastic during the Jagannath Rath Yatra urging the citizens to turn the move into a "mass movement". (ANI)
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