The Union Government of India, through various central Ministries and agencies, is actively working towards generating public awareness about plastic waste management and the elimination of single-use plastics in both urban and rural areas. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has taken several steps to educate the citizens about the dangers of single-use plastics and their impact on the environment.
One such step was the launch of Prakriti – Mascot on 5th April 2022, which has been accompanied by the creation of three videos on the elimination of single-use plastics. These videos have been translated into 19 languages and have been widely distributed among the states and union territories for further dissemination. Additionally, a dedicated webpage with all the awareness material has been created to provide all the necessary information and videos to the stakeholders.
Moreover, an E-Pledge on Swachh Bharat Harit Bharat Green Pledge has been launched on the My Gov Platform to encourage citizens to participate in this movement. A National Expo on eco-alternatives to ban single-use plastics items and a Conference of Startups – 2022 was also organized in Chennai on 26-27th September 2022, in collaboration with the Government of Tamil Nadu.
The States and Union Territories have been asked to regularly enforce the ban on identified single-use plastic items, including plastic carry bags with thicknesses of less than 120 microns, and undertake random checks at border checkpoints to prevent the inter-state movement of banned single-use plastic items. A pan-India awareness and enforcement campaign was undertaken for the implementation of the ban from the 1st to the 31st of July 2022, followed by special enforcement drives in the months of October, November, and December 2022.
Despite these efforts, non-compliance with the ban on single-use plastic has been found in commercial establishments and manufacturing units, including small shops in local markets. The government has taken strict action against the deviations, which include the seizure of banned single-use plastic items and the imposition of penalties. According to the information provided, the penalties levied during the enforcement campaigns amount to approximately Rs. 6,01,67,701/-, and 8,04,501 kg of material has been seized.
The Union Government is making concerted efforts to educate the citizens and enforce the ban on single-use plastics, but it is a continuous process that requires the participation and cooperation of all stakeholders. The government is taking firm action against deviations and remains committed to making India a plastic-free nation.
