BENGALURU: In the wake of a nationwide ban on use of single-use plastic (SUP), Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairman Shanth Avverahalli Thimmaiah on Thursday said that from July 1 (Friday), all items will be seized from all retail stores and other sales units.
Imposition of fine on violators will also come into immediate effect from Friday. Enough awareness has been spread, it is now time for action, Thimmaiah said.However, in the first phase of implementation of ban on SUP, chips and biscuit packets, water, cold drink and juice bottles, milk sachets and other such items have not been included in the list issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Thimmaiah said Karnataka had implemented the ban on use of plastic since 2016. The manufacturers/suppliers should take back the plastic used for packing items and recycle them. This should be mandatorily followed.
Plastic associations seek govt support
Asked whether plastic collection by BBMP will come to a halt, Thimmaiah said the issue will be discussed with the Palike and steps taken accordingly.He added that scion of the Mysuru royal family, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who was roped in as the brand ambassador of the board, will help in spreading the message of SUP ban and create awareness. The deputy commissioners and gram panchayats will also play their part in curbing the menace.
The chairman said 112 units have been given notices since 2016, 104 manufacturing units have been shut down and criminal cases have been filed against 12 units — nine of which are in Ballari and three in Mysuru. Thimmaiah said that most of the biscuit and chips manufacturing units and packaging units are not in Karnataka, so acting against them is not possible.
However, many unitshave given representation to the Board seeking time as products have already
been rolled out. In the meantime, members of plastic associations have sought government intervention in the form of financial support as their livelihood will be affected. Jigish Doshi, President, Plastindia Foundation said business units manufacturing single/standalone product which fall under the banned category will face serious financial issues.
Hence, these manufacturers need to be protected by the government in terms of change in policy guidelines and fiscal incentives. One of the steps can be to give more time to the manufacturing units to enable them to comply with the order, he said.