The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Union Government, the Delhi Government, the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee on a petition by an association of plastic industries here challenging a Delhi Government notification putting a blanket ban on manufacture, sale and use of plastic bags in the Capital.
Seeking replies from the respondents, a Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice Darmar Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw asked them to respond to the petition by the All India Plastic Industries Association the next date of hearing on November 23.
Challenging the competence of the Delhi Government to notify The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, a Central legislation, the petitioner submitted that the ban would affect the employment of lakhs of employees engaged in the plastic bags industry in the city as the business of the petitioner and its members would shut down.
According to the notification issued on October 23 by the Delhi Government, nobody can manufacture, import, store, sell or transport any kind of plastic bags, even those used for covering magazines, books, invitation cards and for collecting garbage in the city. It will come into force from November 22.
The notification further says no person, including shopkeepers, vendors, wholesalers, retailers and hawkers, will be allowed to sell, store or use plastic bags for supply of any goods.
However, plastic bags used for packing food stuffs like milk, cooking oil, flour and plastic cups have been excluded from the ban.
The petitioner urged the Court to set aside the notification.
