Lok Sabha Question No. 4341 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-19
Subject: Ban of Polythene Bags
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Chandra Prakash Joshi, Krupal Balaji Tumane, Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4341

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2019

## Ban of Polythene Bags

4341.   SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  have  imposed  a  ban  on  the  use  of  polythene  bags  in  the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is conducting any public awareness campaign in this regard and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has fixed any criteria for manufacturing of polythene bags, if so, the details thereof along with the panel provisions made for violation of the said criteria;
- (d) the number of cases in which action has been taken for violation of the said criteria;
- (e) whether various States have adopted separate norms for imposing ban on polythene bags in their States and if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (f) whether the Government is considering any uniform norms for all States in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a)&(b) The  Government  has  notified  Plastic  Waste  Management  (PWM)  Rules, 2016which,  inter-alia,  regulate  manufacture,  sale,  distribution  and  use  of plastic  carry  bags.  As  per  the  Rules,the  use  of  carry  bags  made of  virgin  or recycled plastic lessthan 50-micronin thickness is prohibited. Regional stakeholders'  consultations  have  been  conducted  in  Northern,  Southern  and Eastern regions for proper implementation of various waste management rules including plastic waste. A National level capacity building program on waste managementin 20 major cities have also been conducted by in association with Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  and  the  Ministry  of  Housing  and Urban  Affairs  within  the  umbrella  framework  of  Swachh  Bharat  Mission (SBM). In addition, for 20 smaller townsanother capacity building programme has been initiated by the Ministry in association with the National Productivity Council on six waste management rules.

- (c)&(d) As per PWM Rules, 2016, the use, sale and manufacturing of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic less than 50 micron inthickness is prohibited. As per  the  Rules,  the  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  andPollution  Control Committees are the prescribed authorities for enforcement of the provisions of these rulesrelated to registration, manufacture of plastic products, processing and disposal of plasticwaste.The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has taken  several  steps  to  implement  provisions  of  PWM  Rules,  2016.  It  has issued  directions  to  the  Commissioners  of  46  million-plus  cities,20  State capital cities  and  118  towns  located  on  the  bank  of river  Ganga  for implementation  of  waste  management  rules.  The  CPCB  has  also  imposed  a penalty  of  Rs.  1  crore  under  Section  31  of  Air  Act,  1981,  to  the  municipal authorities  of  Delhi  for  non-implementation  of  Plastic  Waste  Management Rules, 2016 and Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
- (e)&(f) In  addition  to  the  PWM  Rules  2016  notified  by  the  Central  Government,21 States/UTsthrough their own notifications under respective statutes have also imposed partial or full ban on useof plastic carry bags/single use plastics.The Government  in  suppression  of  the  earlier  Plastic  Waste  (Management  and Handling)  Rules,  2011  has  notified  the  Plastic  Waste  Management  Rules, 2016. The Rules are uniformly applicable to all the States.