In a bid to protect the environment, public health, and the fragile ecology of West Kameng district, the district administration has issued an order prohibiting single-use plastics (SUP) and plastic drinking water bottles below two litres. The order, issued by West Kameng deputy commissioner Dilip Kumar on 15 July, stated that despite statutory prohibitions under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, banned SUP items and plastic carry bags with a thickness of less than 120 microns continued to be used, stocked, transported, distributed, and sold within the district. The indiscriminate manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and improper disposal of plastic products, particularly SUPs and plastic drinking water bottles of less than two litres’ capacity, have led to the accumulation of plastic wastes in rivers, streams, forests, tourist destinations, public places, and other ecologically sensitive and fragile areas of the district.
This has resulted in environmental degradation, endangered wildlife and biodiversity, obstructed natural drainage systems, increased the risk of floods and landslides, and posed serious threats to public health and the environment, the order read. The administration has allowed manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers a one-time transition period of 30 days from the date of issuance of the order to dispose of their existing stock. However, no fresh manufacture, procurement, inward transportation, or supply of such bottles into the district will be permitted during the transition period.
After the expiry of the transition period, no person or establishment shall manufacture, procure, transport, stock, distribute, sell, supply, or use plastic drinking water bottles below two litres anywhere within the district, the order said. According to the Arunachal Times, the administration has also directed all government departments, offices, educational institutions, medical institutions, local authorities, public sector undertakings, banks, hotels, restaurants, homestays, religious institutions, event organizers, commercial establishments to make appropriate arrangements for providing safe drinking water through water dispensers, purified water systems, reusable containers, glass bottles, steel bottles, or other environmentally sustainable alternatives in place of plastic drinking water bottles below two litres. The administration has also directed all administrative officers, police, the DUDA and member secretaries of all gram panchayats to conduct regular inspections, enforcement drives and unannounced checks within their respective jurisdictions to ensure strict enforcement of and compliance with the provisions of the order.
The order further stated that violators would face action under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and other applicable plastic and waste management laws. While the order came into force with immediate effect, the prohibition on plastic drinking water bottles of less than 2 litres will be fully implemented following the 30-day transition period.
