Lok Sabha Question No. 5600 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-26
Subject: Waste Accumulated on Coastlines
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Annpurna Devi, Sadashiv Kisan Lokhande

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIONNO. 5600

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2019

## Waste Accumulated on Coastlines

5600. MS. ANNPURNA DEVI: SHRI SADASHIVLOKHANDE:

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

- (a) the quantity of trash and waste accumulated on the Indian coastlines duringeach of the last three years;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  used  this  trash  for  any  specific  purpose  and  ifso,  the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the manner in which thistrash is being disposed off?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)to (c) The jurisdiction  of  the  rules/notifications  issued  under  the  Environment  (Protection) Act, 1986 administered by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is upto  12  nautical  miles  on  the  seaward  side.  The  Indian  Ocean  is  surrounded  in  the west by countries of Africa and the Middle East, from Madagascar upto Iran and to the north  of  the  Indian  Ocean  are  the  countries  of  southern  Asia  and  southeast  Asia including India and Australia to the east. Waste or trash in the coast are accumulated in the Indian coast, originates both from domestic sources, and from other countries located in the Indian Ocean, due to oceanic winds and currents. Cleanup of trash or wastes  in  the  Indian  Ocean  region  involves  concerted  effort  by  all  countries  in  the region. The Environment, Forest and Climate Change ministry has no data on waste accumulated in the Indian coastlines.

With  the  objective  of  addressing  problem  of  marine  litter,  particularly  due  to  the plastic  waste,  a  Steering  Committee  comprising  of  stakeholders  from  all  concerned Ministries  and  Departments in the Government of India has been  constituted by the Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  on  14 th May,  2019.  The Committee has been entrusted amongst others, to advise the Central Government on policy, planning, research and development aimed at promoting measures focusing on sound waste management, recovery of marine plastic litter, deployment of innovative technologies and materials, Public education and outreach, and International cooperation  to  enhance  National  capacities.  The  Committee  is  also  entrusted  to coordinate  Bilateral/Multilateral  efforts  with International  agencies  and  with  all concerned Ministries and offer guidance on the position to be taken by the Government  of  India  in  various  International/Multilateral  forum  including  UNEA, AHOEWG, IMO, G20 etc., on marine litter.

India is a member country of the MARPOL Convention, which covers prevention of pollution of the  marine  environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. India  is  also  a  member  of  the  South  Asia  Co-operative  Environment  Programme (SACEP), which is developing a data base for marine litter including marine plastics. The Ministry of Earth Sciences in association with SACEP, UNEP, SAS, and Indian Coast Guards also conducted the 'International Coastal Cleanup Day' in various parts of India with the objective of educating the public and create awareness on the need for  a  clean  and  healthy  coast  and  its  safe  disposal.  The  Ministry  of  Environment, Forest and Climate Change also conducted extensive coastal cleanup campaign in June 2018,  in  association  with  coastal  states  and  Union  territory  administrations,  and  the Indian Coast Guard.

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