A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday directed the State government and the State Pollution Control Board to file in two weeks a statement detailing the number of cases registered under the Environmental Protection Act for violating the government ban on plastic carry bags below thickness of 50 microns.
The court passed the directive when a pending petition filed by S. Seetharaman, secretary of the Aluva-based All Kerala River Protection Council, and others seeking a complete ban on manufacture, import, storage, and use of all kinds of plastic bags came up for hearing.
The government, in its affidavit filed earlier, had pointed out that a complete ban of plastics bags of all sizes could not be imposed at one stroke.
The Bench had then observed that the affidavit did not reveal how many local self-bodies had implemented the Plastic Waste Management and Handling Rules.