The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre and all the state governments on a plea seeking complete ban on use of plastic bags in the country.
A bench headed by Justice G.S. Singhvi also impleaded all the plastic manufacturing companies in the case and also sought the government’s response to put in place a proper mechanism for disposal of used plastic bags.
The apex court passed the order on a PIL filed by NGOs, seeking its direction to government to ban the use of plastic bags alleging that these are not disposed properly and are eaten by animals which get stuck in their stomach.
Observing that most of the lakes and urban drain systems are choking because of plastic bags, the bench said that the issue raised is important to all human beings and agreed to hear the PIL.
The petitioners, a bunch of NGOs working for the welfare of animals, submitted that the governments be directed to implement door to door garbage collection and to ensure that waste storage facilities are built and managed such that animals are not allowed to move around in the vicinity of such facilities.
“Due to government neglect across the country and her maritime boundaries or coastline, animals particularly cows and bulls, are ingesting plastic from garbage dumps and plastic bags littered across the landscape and oceans. The ingestion of plastic from plastic bags chokes the stomach of cows,” the petitioners said.
“Despite the enactment of rules for the disposal of municipal solid wastes and the management and handling of plastic waste, the governments have failed and neglected to implement these rules,” they said.
