Lok Sabha Question No. 1377 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-25
Subject: Plastic Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Uday Pratap Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1377

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2022

## Plastic Pollution

## 1377.   SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH:

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

- (a) the  details  of  steps  taken  to  create  awarenessand  public  participation  towards  clean environment by the Government during the last three years and currentyear;
- (b) the details of measures undertaken/beingundertaken in the direction to reduce plastic pollution;
- (c) the  plan  of  the  Government  to  impose  ban  on  orminimize  plastic  use  along  with promotion of other options;
- (d) whether the Government has conducted theevaluation of ill-effects on environment, aquatic  life,  animals  and  human  life  due  to  plastic  waste  and  chemicalsif  so,  the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  established  anysystem  for  banning  and  monitoring  of plastic generating industries; and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) `The Union Government through various central ministries and government agencies has been involved in generating public awareness on clean environment including plastic waste management and elimination of single-use plastics.  The  Central  Government  has  allocated central  share  funds  under  Swachh  Bharat  Mission  Urban  (2014-2021)  andSwachh  Bharat Mission  Urban  2.0  (2021  -  2026)  for  creation  of  awareness  and  public  participation  to States/UTs.    Some  of  the  public  awareness  campaigns  run  by  Ministry  of  Environment, Forest and Climate Changeare given below:

-  A three-phase campaign 'Swachhta Hi Sewa' and beach cleaning drive was taken up across 50 beaches in 2019
-  'Awareness Campaign on Single Use Plastic - 2021' was organized.
-  A pan India essay writing competition on the theme elimination of single use plastics for spreading awareness amongst school students.
-  To encourage innovation in development of alternatives to identified single use plastic items and digital solutions to plastic waste management, the India Plastic Challenge Hackathon  2021,  for  students  of  higher  education  institutions  and  startups  was organized.
-  A series of awareness programme to avoid the use of single-use plastics across the country, as part of Iconic Week celebrations from 4th to 10th October, 2021, under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
-  Prakriti - Mascot was launched on 5th April 2022. Three videos of PRAKRITI on ban on  single  use  plastics  have  been  made  and  translated  in  19  languages.  These  have been shared with states and UTs for further dissemination.
-  A  dedicated  webpage  with  all  awareness  material  has  been  created  for  making available  all  information  materials  and  videos  for  wider  dissemination  and  use  by stakeholders.
-  An E-Pledge on Swachh Bharat Harit Bharat Green Pledge has been launched on My Gov Platform for generating public movement amongst citizens on 5th April 2022.

(b)  to  (d):  Considering  the  adverse  effect  of  littered  single  use  plastic  items  on  terrestrial, aquatic  and  marine  ecosystems,  the  Ministry  has  notified  the  Plastic  Waste  Management Amendment  Rules,  2021,  on  12th  August  2021,  prohibiting  identified  single  use  plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, with effect from 1 st July 2022. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also notified the Guidelines on the Extended  Producer  Responsibility  for  plastic  packaging  vide  Plastic  Waste  Management Amendment Rules, 2022, on 16 th February, 2022.

All thirty six States/UTs have constituted the Special Task Force under Chairpersonship of Chief Secretary/Administrator for elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.A National Level Taskforce has also been constituted by the Ministry in this regard. Twenty one State /UT Governments and thirteen  concerned  Central  Ministries/Departments  have  developed  comprehensive  action plan  for  elimination  of  single  use  plastics  and  effective  implementation  of  Plastic  Waste Management Rules, 2016. The Government of India provides additional central assistance to the  States/UTs  under  the  Swachh  Bharat  Mission  for  solid  waste  management  including plastic  waste management. Management of plastic waste in environmentally sound manner will help in reduction of plastic pollution.

(e) The following online platforms were launched on 5th April 2022 for effective monitoring of ban on identified single use plastic items and plastic waste management in the country (i) National  Dashboard  on  for  monitoring  of  comprehensive  action  plan  implementation,  (ii) Centralized online Portal for Extended Producer Responsibility implementation, (iii) CPCB Monitoring  Module  for  Compliance  on  Elimination  of  Single  Use  Plastic,  and  (iv)  CPCB Grievance Redressal App.

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