Ban on single use plastic from April 15
Are substitutes there? Will fizzle out soon : Response from public
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 08 2025: Many have opined that the scheduled extensive drive against single use plastics across the State from April 15 is another sham which will fizzle out in no time.

On the other hand, MAHUD Department has reportedly surrendered with regard to plastic management.

One woman vendor at Khwairamband Keithel said that the planned drive against single use plastic is not the first one in the State.

There have been many similar drives in the past and all these drives ended in failure, she said.

The one being planned from April 15 is another sham and it will die out without achieving any tangible result, she said.

Ban on single use plastic from April 15

Asking if there are materials which can replace single use plastics, the woman vendor said that the problem of single use plastics can be addressed to some extent if customers bring along carry-bags when they come to buy things.

As the Government authorities are gearing up for an extensive drive against single use plastics, people who sell paper bags and bags made with linen will come out.

However, as the Government's drive is destined to fizzle out soon, they will disappear again, she said.

If the Government carries out the drive against single use plastics with a long term commitment, people will certainly become accustomed to a life without single use plastics.

But banning single use plastics just for namesake only to inflate the price of these plastics is undesirable, the woman vendor said.

Meanwhile, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Arun Kumar Sinha has appealed to all the people to support the drive against single use plastics.

If single use plastics are found with stockists and suppliers, they will be fined Rs 2000 each.

If they commit the same offence for a second time, they will be fined Rs 5000 and third time offenders will be fined Rs 10,000, he said.

If the stockists and suppliers continue to deal in the banned single use plastics, their licences shall be cancelled, Arun Kumar Sinha said.

If single-use plastics are found with street vendors, they will be fined Rs 200 for first time offence, Rs 500 for second time offence and Rs 1000 for third time offence.

If they still use single use plastics, their trade documents shall be seized, he said.

If any one is found burning plastic materials, they will be fined Rs 5000 to Rs 25,000, he said.

Though plastic materials are very popular and used conveniently by every section of the people, they have polluted the environment to an unprecedented level thereby causing serious health hazards.

Apart from polluting air, water and land, micro plastics have made their way to human brains, he said.

Asking why there should not be substitutes for single use plastics, Arun Kumar Sinha maintained that substitutes will emerge once the single use plastics are banned effectively, he said.

Every citizen must not forget that all the plastic wastes scattered on roads and thrown into rivers will ultimately find their way to Lotkak Lake which is an invaluable asset of the State.

Without the people's support, the Government's initiative to ban single use plastics will never succeed, he said.

MAHUD Principal Secretary RK Dinesh said that the department has given up on plastic management.

There is no facility for segregation of plastic wastes or converting them from waste to wealth or industrial compositing.

The only option available in the State to check plastic pollution is putting an end to the supply and use of plastics, Dinesh said.

The plastic waste management plant at Lamdeng is dealing with plastic wastes generated by around 3.5 lakh people but its condition is extremely deplorable.

Segregation of plastic wastes is not possible because the waste collection model followed in the State is outdated.

If the plastic wastes should be converted into wealth, the number of people generating plastic wastes must be over 10 lakh.

As such, the initiative to convert waste to wealth taken up at Lamdeng cannot fructify so far, said the MAHUD Principal Secretary.

As there is no big industry in the State, industrial compositing is not possible at all, he said.

Directorate of Environment and Climate Change Director T Brajakumar said that comprehensive awareness programmes will be organised during the drive against single use plastics on the health hazards and disastrous impacts of plastics.

If the citizens are conscious enough, there will not be any need to impose fines and the drive will be a huge success, he said.

All the countries are now facing the problem of plastic pollution.

In Manipur too, people saw rivers flowing with huge volumes of plastic materials during floods, Brajakumar said.