New Delhi : The environment ministry on Tuesday said it has constituted special task forces in all states and union territories to implement the planned ban on single-use plastic (SUP) from next month, despite protests by small businesses from the government. Indicates the intention to pursue this measure. ,
The task force is responsible for checking any illegal manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of banned SUP items across the country.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said that states and union territories have been asked to set up border checks to prevent inter-state movement of any banned single-use plastic items.
The Central Pollution Control Board also announced two initiatives to monitor the ban.
A National Dashboard on SUP and Elimination of Plastic Waste Management has been established.
The dashboard will track the implementation of the action plan.
Also, a CPCB Grievance Redressal App was launched so that citizens can keep a watch against this menace. The app will enable users to register and track SUP related complaints with photos on the site.
More than 4,000 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have registered with the Monitoring Module for compliance on elimination of SUPs. The module will be linked to a SUP field application app which will allow direct uploading of field verification reports.
The ministry directed the manufacturers of plastic raw materials not to supply raw materials for the manufacture of banned SUP items, to cancel the consent to operate units for the manufacture of restricted SUPs and to stop the sale of these items to e-commerce companies. also issued.
The Ministry will organize a national level exhibition for the stakeholders to raise awareness about the various options available for restricted SUPs. Provisions have been made in central government schemes by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to support MSME units with manufacturing options.
MSMEs have earlier requested the government for a phased implementation of the ban to allow a smooth transition to the option.
However, the government has no intention of delaying the ban.
“Adequate time was provided to the industry to adapt and participate with SUP items. This ban will be imposed from July 1. We are ensuring that the norms of the ban which are clean recycling, product safety, social and economic impact are met,” said Bhupendra Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Tuesday said it has written to Yadav to push back the ban by a year.
MSMEs have warned that the ban could lead to a halt in swab manufacturing in India, threatening around 3,000 MSMEs and 15,000 jobs.
Small businesses said the ban would force MSMEs to import rolled paper sticks at a higher cost, which would put MSMEs in the health sector at risk.