'Why isn't plastic ban implemented effectively yet?'

Environmentalist writes to civic chief regarding making the ban more effective and installing nets at mouths of nullahs to prevent plastic from entering the sea

The ban on disposable plastics has not been implemented in the city owing to the lack of effort by the civic body, Mumbai-based environmentalist Stalin D alleged in his letter to the Municipal Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi on May 30. The BMC had last year assured the high court-appointed Wetland Committee that it will install nets at the mouth of nullahs and creeks to prevent plastic from entering the sea. Over a year later, it has not been done, Stalin said.

The director of NGO Vanashakti has said in his letter, "Street vendors continue to use plastic bags and no check is in place. The use is more in the evenings after BMC office hours. The vigilance teams need to work at night to curb the menace effectively. This will help reduce the amount of plastic finding its way into the marine ecosystems and landfills. We request you to instruct the formation of teams that will work after 5 pm till 11 pm."

Vanashakti has also filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal seeking directions to the BMC to install nets inside nullahs. "This will prevent the entry of plastic and trash onto the beaches and inside mangroves. The Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board and Maharashtra State Forest Department have submitted affidavits supporting the idea. The conservancy staff can periodically clean the nets by hauling it up manually. We had also discussed this with the Wetland Grievance Redressal Committee. It was decided to do a pilot project but sadly nothing is happening yet," the letter read.

Also read: 187 countries, except US, agree on pact to curb export of plastic waste

BMC installs garbage booms
The Bombay High Court had last year issued notices to several government agencies regarding curbing pollution. The NGT too at the end of January 2018 had issued notices to the civic body and the MPCB, along with the urban development department, environment department and Mangroves Cell.

Officials of the Storm Water Drain department, however, said, "We have already installed trash booms which stops plastic bags, bottles and garbage from going into the sea, on an experimental basis at Dahisar, Poisar and Oshivara rivers, and the Mogara nullah. The MMRDA has already installed it at the Mithi River. This was done to ensure that the garbage doesn't come back during high tide." Civic chief Praveen Pardeshi said, "We have installed garbage booms to stop plastic going into the sea on a large scale."

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