Discourage Single use plastic and instead
use jute/cloth carry bags, insists Minister
Dr. Harsh Vardhan
By Neeraj Bajpai
O
n a windy summer
morning, a muster of
peacocks,
displaying
colorful plumage like
a flickering train, flip-flop atop
huge green trees and scream at
short intervals amid unfazed
flocks of twittering birds at
India’s Environment, Science and
Technology Minister Dr. Harsh
Vardhan’s residence in the heart of
the national capital.
Filing past the absorbing spectacle,
a motely crowd of visitors, many of
them holding handwritten petitions
or bouquets gently enter a make
shift hall to meet the lawmaker who
is a Member of Parliament from
the moon light crossing-Chandni
Chowk-constituency in old Delhi.
Much before, the agile Minister,
in tearing hurry to pack up his
day long tight schedule, makes an
appearance and occupies a central
chair to lend an ear to visitors –
including some burqa clad women
from his constituency, his staff
ensures trays of piping hot tea
cups and coffee mugs are served
regularly. The staff introduces itself
to the audience and lay out drill
for whistle stop meetings with ear
nose and throat–ENT specialist
turned politician.
The moment, the medium height
suave Minister enters the hall,
commotion ensues but things
settle down fast as professional
photographers stand in attendance
and race of selfie with Minister
ends. He listens and assures for
quick redressal of genuine and fair
petitions. This is a frequent morning
scene at his residence, may it be a
sizzling summer or frigid winter.
14
Volume 3 | Issue 3 | July-September 2018
Retreating people stare at a hanging
poster which reads –‘Democracy is
not the governance by the majority,
neither it’s of governance of the
minority, but it is the governance of
the common inspiration of general
public’. The frame with party’s
ideologue and leader Dr. Deen
Dayal Upadhyay picture hangs
innocuously from a bright green
bamboo stick partition.
Despite shoe string budget of time,
the Minister spoke to InnoHEALTH
Magazine and said India’s resolve
to protect environment and ensure
growth is non-negotiable and gave
detailed answers to many queries
including:
Q. It is not possible to do away
with plastic altogether.
How
does the govt propose to reduce/
recycle plastic?
With the growing population
of the world and the lifestyle
adopted, the amount of garbage
production;
including
plastic
waste, is also increasing. However,
the accumulation of these products
is leading to increased amount of
plastic pollution around the country
and the world. The Government of
India has notified the Plastic Waste
Management Rules, 2016, which,
inter-alia, regulate manufacture,
sale, distribution and use plastic
carry bags including carry bags of
compostable plastic, and plastic
sheets for packaging or wrapping
commodities. The use of carry bags
made from conventional plastic and
less than 50 micron in thickness
is prohibited. The use of plastic
for packaging gutkha, tobacco and
pan masala is prohibited. Based
on the requirement and necessity,
individual state can take decision
on banning of the plastic bags.
Therefore, use of carry bags made
of plastic is banned by seventeen
States and three Union Territories.
Through
the
Plastic
Waste
Management Rules, 2016, the
generators of waste have been
mandated to take steps to minimize
generation of plastic waste, not
to litter the plastic waste, ensure
segregated storage of waste at
source and handovers segregated
waste to local body or agencies
authorised by the local bodies.
The rules have mandated the
responsibilities of local bodies,
gram panchayat, waste generators,
retailers and street vendors to
manage the plastic waste.The rules
mandated the producers, importers
and brand owners to work out
modalities for waste collection
system
based
on
Extended
Producer Responsibility.
Q. How 2017 was different in
terms of air pollution in Delhi
NCR?
Due to extensive efforts by all
stakeholders, there has been an
improvement in overall air quality
in 2017. As per AQI data, the
number of good, satisfactory and
moderate days in 2017 were 151
as compared to 109 in 2016. The
number of poor, very poor and
severe days was down to 180 in
2017 as compared to 214 in 2016.
Q. What is your message for this
World Environment Day to the
global citizen?
As you are aware the theme of
World Environment Day is “Plastic
Pollution”, I would like to urge
all people to adopt sustainable
lifestyle. India has a long history