Mumbai: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) will involve India Inc to finalise the blueprint of a new policy on plastic, which could be merged with the Centre’s flagship Make in India and Smart Cities schemes.
The ministry, along with the Maharashtra government, has organised a CEO roundtable to discuss the possibility of a synergy between such a policy and the Centre’s renewable energy plans, and schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Make in India and Smart Cities.
Onus on industry
The policy aims to put a greater onus on industry to manage plastic waste and pollution. A CEO Dialogue will be held in Mumbai on May 31, World Environment Day, with CEOs from Coca Cola India, the Tata Group, the Mahindra Group and so on, participating along with Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, officials said.
The proposed policy aims to transform the plastic industry while considering key aspects such as redesigned products, creation of niche markets for manufacturers, new business models, a circular economy around waste management and processing and moving away from single-use plastic to products that have a longer life, officials said.
Green cricket
The ministry will also sign a tripartite agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to promote plastic-free cricket in the country. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed during the closing ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) between BCCI, MoEFCC and the UN Environment Programme during the IPL closing ceremony on May 29.
“Indian industry has scripted some of the most astounding successes the world has ever seen. This is yet another opportunity for them to showcase the innovation and leadership of the industry and explore new opportunities,” said a government official.
The CEO Dialogue, he said,will focus on how industry can adopt business models which reflect responsibility for the impact of products. “They have the responsibility to re-design products that help us move away from a throwaway culture and develop new niche markets.”
Debate over ban
In March, Maharashtra had announced a ban on the sale, use and distribution of plastic products. Industry has been rallying together for the dilution of the ban while pushing the government to go slow on any action on violations.
Industry called the ban arbitrary while environmentalists welcome it as a much-needed action against the menace of plastic waste. Last month, the government set up a special task force to come up with a wider policy while allowing a coping window for industry in the interim.
On agenda
As part of CEO Dialogue, the ministry has planned several initiatives including a 15-day beach clean-up drive around the country, the launch of e-bus charging stations with the help of the Tatas and Mahindras, retrofitting of buses to turn them into electronic vehicles(EVs), MoUs with industry leaders, an e-mobility policy, and request for the deputation of consultants to assist in putting in place in bigger cities end-to-end framework for collection, segregation and recycling of plastic products.
The Maharashtra government will also participate in these programmes. Maharashtra has already decided to retrofit 8,000 buses as part of its own EV policy. UNEP will review the State’s EV policy while initiating a study on charging stations in Pune. A workshop will be organised in Mumbai with the help of Energy Efficiency Services Limited. “We will also send them (UNEP) the terms of reference for our plastic waste management programme,” said an official.
