NGT notice to Centre, Delhi govt over plastic ban

The National Green Tribunal has issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Delhi government, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Delhi Cantonment Board while hearing a plea that challenged the ban on manufacture, sale, storage, usage, import and transport of plastic bags in the city.

Next date of hearing

The NGT has now sought a reply before February 13, the next date of hearing. The matter was transferred to the NGT in December from the Delhi High Court, which said the tribunal was already hearing pleas against the use of plastic bags in Punjab and Haryana.

The court also asked the Delhi government not to take coercive steps against the petitioner, the All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association , for eight weeks.

The Sheila Dikshit government’s order against plastic, which was to come into force from November 23, 2012, had been stayed by the court.

Notification challenged

The association had challenged the notification saying that the city government had exceeded its jurisdiction in issuing the notification.

The plea said “declare impugned notification of October 23, 2012, null and void being ultra vires to the parent Act, i.e. the Environment Protection Act and Rules framed thereunder. The notification also violates the fundamental rights of the petitioner”.