Uncertainty looms large over J&K polythene industries as govt mulls complete plastic ban

JAMMU: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to reduce the usage of plastic to minimum extent before October 2nd and a determined campaign by government in the same direction, uncertainty looms large over the fate of the polythene industry in Jammu and Kashmir.
There are as many as 187 registered plastic manufacturing and recycling units in the state, besides 22 unregistered units.
“We are producing polythene as per the prescribed norms of Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board (JKPCB), having thickness of more than 50 mm microns,” an industrial said, requesting anonymity.
“If the government totally bans plastic after October 2nd, then we will definitely face problems to earn bread and butter,” he added.
“Government should provide an alternate source of income before totally banning the polythene. We have spent more than Rs 25 lakh on the machinery to setup our units. Ironically, the newly established units are yet to recover the investment,” another industrialist rues.
“As the polythene bags below thickness of 50 mm microns are cheaper in price and it has demand in the market, some industrialists produce such polythene under the noose of JKPCB. To stop this kind of polythene, JKPCB has to adopt stringent methods,” he added.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board (JKPCB) claims it compounded 99 violations and recovered Rs 62,200 from violators in 2017-2018, when the state had produced 27870 metric ton/ per annum plastic waste.
“We conduct drives to seize polythene below the thickness of 50 micron. We cannot take immediate action against polythene units, which is producing polythene below 50 microns. First we serve notice to them followed by action accordingly,” a JKSPCB official said.
Plastic bags are found almost everywhere on the roads, dump sites, mountains and water bodies. It takes 100-500 years for a plastic bag to decompose (depending on the type of plastic) and hence they continue to exist and harm the environment.
Due to growing concern of environmental degradation by polythene, State government first imposed a blanket ban on carrying polythene carry bags in June 2008, under J&K Non-Biodegradable Material (Management, Handling and Disposal) Act, 2007.
In March 2016, ban on polythene bags having a thickness above 50 microns was lifted and permitted for manufacturing and usage. In April 2017, the government re-imposed a blanket ban on below 50-micron thickness polythene carry bags.