GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2436
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2023
Ban on single use plastics
2436. SHRI NIRANJAN BISHI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government has taken cognizance of the present failures and challenges of the ban on Single-use Plastics (SUP) brought in 2022; 

(b) if so, whether Government plans to initiate any concrete action policy for SUP for present and long term; and 

(c) if so, details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c): The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12th August 2021, prohibiting manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the identified Single Use Plastic (SUP) items,which have low utility and high littering potential with effect from the 1st July, 2022. 

The following steps have been taken to strengthen implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and to implement ban on identified single use plastic items: 

(i) All thirty-six States/UTs have constituted the Special Task Force under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary / Administrator for elimination of identified single use plastic items and effective plastic waste management. A National Level Taskforce has also been constituted by the Ministry for taking coordinated efforts to eliminate identified single use plastic items and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.Four meetings of the National Task Force have been held. 

(ii) Twenty Four State /UT Governments and concerned Central Ministries/Departments have already developed a comprehensive action plan for elimination of single use plastic and implement it in a time bound manner. 

(iii) Directions have been issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to E-commerce companies, leading single use plastic sellers/users, and plastic raw material manufacturers with respect to phasing out of identified single use plastic items. Separately, custom authorities have been asked to stop the import of banned SUP items 

(iv) For effective monitoring of ban on identified single use plastic items and plastic waste management in the country the following online platforms are in operation (a) National Dashboard on for monitoring of comprehensive action plan implementation, (b) CPCB Monitoring Module for Compliance on Elimination of Single Use Plastic, and (c) CPCB Grievance Redressal App. 

(v) Pan India enforcement campaigns have been undertaken for implementation of ban on identified single use plastic items since July 2022 by CPCB, SPCBs/PCCs and local authorities. As per available information, during enforcement campaigns, a total of 853832 inspections have been carried out, of which violations were detected in 344689 cases, approximately fine of Rs. 19,05,13,471/- was imposed and 19,49,535 kg. of plastic was seized. States and Union Territories have been asked to undertake regular enforcement drives to implement ban on identified single use plastic items and on plastic carry bags having thickness less than one hundred twenty microns. 

(vi) In order to provide assistance to MSME enterprises transitioning away from single use plastic items to Eco alternatives, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has made provisions in their ongoing schemes. A National Expo on eco-alternatives to banned single use plastics items and Conference of Startups – 2022 was organized jointly with Government of Tamil Nadu in Chennai on 26-27th September 2022 to raise awareness on alternatives. Awareness generation and capacity building programmes have been organized for elimination of single