Step to do away with plastic bags for nursery plants flops
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 08 2025: The initiative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to replace plastic polythene bags with degradable alternatives for nurturing nursery plant saplings has failed to achieve its objective in Manipur.

The Ministry had on November 12, 2018, directed all States' Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to ban plastic polythene bags in nursery plant saplings.

In the order, the Ministry highlighted the environmental consequences of using plastic bags of various sizes in nurseries, including pollution and harm to ecosystems.

Following the directive, the State's Forest Department invited some firms to submit rate quotations for degradable alternatives to plastic bags and product samples.

A trial was also conducted at some locations to test degradable alternatives to plastic bags in nursery plant saplings.

However, the undertaking of the Government to promote a plastic free environment by replacing plastic polythene bags with degradable items has not yielded any positive outcome in the State.

Speaking to The Sangai Express in this regard, Forest officials praised the plastic bag ban in nurseries as a step towards reducing pollution.

Saying that they, however, face implementation challenges, they added that the number of plant saplings they nurture in a year is in terms of lakhs.

They also said that replacing plastic polythene bags with degradable or reusable alternatives in nurseries would require a significant amount of money.

Forest officials cited limited funds as a major challenge in implementing the directive.

They noted that eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags, although available, are expensive - costing Rs 60-100 compared to Rs 5 for plastic bags.

It is not cost effective, they said.

Some environmentalists, on the other hand, said that all people feel the far-reaching impact of plastic on the environment and expressed desire for the Government to invest more to create a plastic free environment.

They also said that many people have a habit of burning plastic, despite knowing it is harmful to their health.

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