Jammu, Jun 02 (KNS): Demanding complete ban on single use plastic soft drinks and packaged water bottles in J&K, Retd Principal Secretary Law K Y S Manhas, Vice Chairman of “We The Human” Forum for Nature and Mankind asked people and the local government authorities to wage a war against plastic pollution caused by the MNCs like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Bisleri etc by pumping in attractive single use plastic soft drinks and packaged water bottles in our state.
“Jammu and Kashmir, being a prominent eco-tourism and piligrim-tourist state, with lacs of tourists visiting Kashmir valley, the holy cave of Mata Vaishno Devi throughout the year and Amarnath Cave during 3-4 months, these multinational companies are pumping in crores of single use plastic soft drinks and packaged water bottles in our state, every year. And, this is a bitter truth that J&K State is far behind other states of the country with regard to solid waste management. This is a fact that more than fifty percent of all such plastic bottles become serious cause for polluting our environment including our glaciers,” Manhas said.
Manhas further said that our flora, our fauna, our rivers, our hills, our environment, all, are getting polluted; with local government authorities watching the erosion of our environment either helplessly or have just closed their eyes like an ostrich.
He said although, the state government banned use of single use plastic soft drinks or packaged water bottles in all government offices vide order.
“No-GAD (Adm)45 /2018-111 Dated:- 8.03.2019, yet this is not being implemented strictly in all government offices. The Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology J&K Government took another welcoming step by banning all non bio-degradable disposables like plastic/ thermocol plates, bowls, cups, glasses, spoons, knives, forks etc. vide the order No. FST/PCB/ 22/2017 Dated 26/03/2019; but, the imposed ban lacks implementation as most of the food restaurants are still using non bio-degradable disposables for take away or home delivery orders. People of the state, the JMC, the SMC, the J&KSPCB, the Department of Forest, Environment & Ecology have to wake up and intervene in this grave situation by demanding and imposing complete ban on single use plastic soft drinks and packaged water bottles in our state. Save our glaciers, save our mountains, save rivers, save our holy place. Let these MNCs provide their products in glass bottles or other substitutes,” Manhas added.
Manhas said, “The war on plastic is already underway in Europe. In January, the EU announced a multipronged plan to clamp down on plastic pollution. The initiative calls for making all plastic sold in Europe either reusable or recyclable by 2030. According to Frans Timmermans, vice-president of the European Commission, the goal is to crack down on “single-use plastics that take five seconds to produce,” are used for just a few minutes, and take “500 years to break down again.” (KNS)