Lok Sabha Question No. 3633 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-16
Subject: World Environment Day
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JANARDAN MISHRA, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3633

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2018

## World Environment Day

## 3633. SHRI JANARDAN MISHRA: SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether India will host the World Environment Day 2018;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including its objectives, theme, programmes etc.;
- (c) whether  excessive  use  of  plastic  is  polluting  our  oceans,  damaging  marine  life  and threatening human health and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether India was one of three countries to reject concrete target in a UN agreement to reduce plastic waste in oceans in December, 2017; and
- (e) if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  generate  awareness  and  public  participation towards a cleaner environment ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) & (b): Yes Madam.  India has accepted the offer of United Nations Environment to be the global host for the World Environment Day, 2018.  The theme of the World Environment Day, 2018 is 'Plastic Pollution'.  Plastic itself is not a problem, littering and unsafe disposal of singleuse plastic products, plastic bottles, food containers and packaging materials is causing concern to  environment.    Plastic  garbage/waste  that  ends  up  in  landfills  and  oceans  take  hundreds  of years  to  degrade  and  gradually  releases  toxins  into  the  environment.    In  the  age  of  advanced technology, we cannot live plastic free but we can manage our plastic waste disposal into circular economy and building construction materials and paving roads.  The per capita consumption of plastics of India is on the rise and this is the right time for us to plan for the future.

The World Environment Day shall be celebrated through United Nations Environment and Indian  Embassies  across  the  globe.    At  national  level  it  will  involve  various  stakeholder Ministries/Departments,  all  States  and  UTs,  Districts,  Local  Bodies,  Industries  and  Plastic Manufacturing  Units,  Non-Governmental  Organizations,  Civil  Societies  etc.  across  the  length and breadth of the country in the celebrations, thus giving it the widest possible geographical and demographic  coverage  to  transform  habits,  practices,  standards  to  dramatically  reduce  plastic litter and the harm it causes to surroundings.

Government of India is planning to involve students of school/college/university/institutions  across  the  country  in  cleanness  drives.  They  will  also  be roped  in  to  spread  the  messages  of  sustainable  use  of  the  plastic  items  and  sensitize  public ofharmfulness of plastic littering to environment/surroundings through nature walk, live music, nukkad  natak,  street  entertainment,  cycling,  athletic  activities,  forestry  conservation  activities etc. Students can also share their views and take pledges online on MyGov platform.

(c ): The volume of plastic produced in the world has increased significantly and an increasing amount of plastic litter ends up in waterways and the ocean. Globally, an estimated 20 million tons of plastic enters the ocean each year including Indian coasts. Plastic litter adversely impacts marine  life  and  environment.  Plastic  litter  is  hazardous  to  the  marine  environment  because plastics  are  durable,  buoyant,  waterproof,  indigestible,  and  non-biodegradable.  Animals  at  all levels of the food chain consume plastic. Plastic debris injures and kills fish, seabirds and marine mammals.

As  per  Coastal  Regulation  Zones  (CRZ)  Notification,  2011,  dumping  of  solid  waste including  plastic  in  CRZ  areas  is  prohibited.    The  Government  has  notified  Plastic  Waste Management Rules, 2016. As per the provisions of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, the generators of waste have been mandated to take steps to minimize generation of plastic waste, not  to  litter  the  plastic  waste,  ensure  segregated  storage  of  waste  at  source  and  handover segregated waste to local bodies or agencies authorised by the local bodies. The rules have also mandated the responsibilities of local bodies, gram panchayats, waste generators, retailers and street vendors to manage the plastic waste. The rules mandate the producers, importers and brand owners  to  work  out  modalities  for  waste  collection  system  based  on  Extended  Producer Responsibility.  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  has  also  issued  guidelines  for  utilization  of plastic waste in road construction, cement kilns and usage as liquid RDF (oil).

(d) : No Madam.

(e):    However,  the  Government  of  Indiahas  been  organizing  training  and  awareness  programs from  time  to  time  for  various  stakeholders  pertaining  to  various  waste  rules  including  plastic waste.

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