NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Centre, the Election Commission, and the Central Pollution Control Board to convene a meeting for considering the possibility of a ban on campaign material made of plastic.
The tribunal passed the directions on a petition seeking a direction to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC ) and the states to prohibit the use of short-life PVC, synthetic plastic polymer and chlorinated plastic which includes banners and hoarding during the poll campaign.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the three stakeholders to convene a meeting at the earliest, preferably within one week.
The directives come at a time when the Lok Sabha elections are due in April-May, before the onset of the monsoon. The petitioner claimed that a letter sent to the Environment Secretary seeking directions to all states and the poll panel for imposing complete prohibition of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) hoarding/ banners/flexes by implementing and complying with the environmental norms received no response.
“In view of the above that while it may not be necessary for the tribunal to go into the merits at this stage, the matter may first be considered in a joint meeting of representatives of Election Commission, Environment Ministry and Central Pollution Control Board at the earliest, preferably within one week, in such manner as may be found viable,” the green panel said.
With agency inputs