Lok Sabha Question No. 2390 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-04
Subject: One Nation One Mission : End Plastic Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Vivek Thakur, Shri Pradeep Purohit, Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal, Shri Mahesh Kashyap, Shri Mukesh Rajput, Shri Joyanta Basumatary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2390

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025

## One Nation One Mission: End plastic pollution

2390.   SHRI MUKESH RAJPUT:

SHRI PRADEEP PUROHIT:

SHRI JOYANTA BASUMATARY:

DR. SANJAY JAISWAL:

SHRI VIVEK THAKUR:

SHRI MAHESH KASHYAP:

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

- (a) the targets set under the "One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution" initiative and the estimated timeline to achieve the said targets;
- (b) the targets set under the said initiative and the expected timeline for their achievement;
- (c) whether the Government plans to make the National Plastic Waste Reporting Portal mandatory for all local bodies and Panchayats and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the measurable impact of the plastic ban and recycling efforts since the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines; and
- (e) whether  there  is  any  penalty  mechanism  for  non-compliance  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a)  &  (b):  The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change,  celebrated  World Environment Day 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 5 th  June 2025, with the slogan 'One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution'. As part of one month long pre-campaign activities  undertaken  before  World  Environment  Day  2025,  around  69,000  events  were organized in which around 21 lakh people participated across the country.

The event saw the participation  of  members  of industry,  civil  society,  students  and Government officers from States and concerned central Ministries, following the 'Whole of Government' and 'Whole of Society' approach.

Hon'ble Prime Minister led a special tree plantation initiative with plantation of Banyan sapling  under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative on the occasion of World Environment Day (5th June, 2025) affirming India's commitment to environmental stewardship. The sapling was planted as a part of the Aravalli Green Wall project, which aims to reforest the 700 kilometres of  the  Aravalli  range.  He  also  flagged  off  200  Electric  Buses  under  Delhi  Government's sustainable transport initiative, promoting clean urban mobility and symbolizing the nation's collective responsibility towards ecological balance.

The National Plastic Pollution Reduction Campaign (NPPRC) which has a series of planned  activities  was  also  launched  for  the  period  5th  June  to  31st  October  2025.  The Campaign includes activities to reduce plastic pollution in Tiger Reserves and urban and rural areas under Swachhta Hi Sewa programme. The activities also include focus on     reducing use of avoidable single use plastics in government offices especially during Special Campaign 5.0.  A  Hackathon  on  eco-alternatives  to  single-use  plastics  and  engaging  youth  through creative competition such as poem writing, slogan writing and skits (Nukkad Nataks) on the theme of Ending Plastic Pollution is part of the campaign.

(c): As per Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024, notified on 14 th  March, 2024, every urban local body and Panchayat at District Level shall prepare and submit annual report in the prescribed form online by the 30th June every year to the Urban Development Department and to Rural Development Department, respectively, and also to the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned. The mandatory online submission of annual reports is a transformational step in moving away from multi step physical reporting. The National Plastic Waste Reporting Portal was launched on 5 th  June 2025.

(d): The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  notified  Plastic  Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12th August 2021, prohibiting identified Single Use Plastic (SUP) items, which have low utility and high littering potential, were prohibited with effect from 1 July 2022. Regular enforcement drives have been undertaken to enforce ban on identified single use plastic items by CPCB/SPCB/PCC along with local authorities across the country.  As  per  details  provided  by  SPCB/PCC  and  details  available  at  SUP  compliance monitoring portal, a total  of 8,61,740 inspections  have  been conducted and 1985 tonnes of banned single use plastic items have been seized and a total of Rs. 19.82 crores of fine has been levied.

The ban on identified single use plastic items has triggered development of innovative ecoalternatives. Central Government, State Governments and local authorities have taken steps on moving  towards  eco-friendly  alternatives.  Based  upon  the  information  provided  by  State Pollution  Control  Boards  and  Pollution  Control  Committees,  the  Ministry  of  Environment, Forests and Climate Change  and  Central Pollution Control Board have prepared a 'Compendium of Manufacturers / Sellers of Eco-alternatives to Banned Single Use Plastic Items', which launched on World Environment Day, 2025. The compendium provides details of  nearly  1000  units  spread  across  the  country.  In  keeping  with  the  development  of  ecoalternatives, Bureau of Indian Standard had earlier notified Indian Standard IS 18267 for Food Serving Utensil Made from Agri By-Products.

As  per  Centralized  EPR  portal  on  plastic  packaging  51838  Producers,  Importers  and Brandowners  and  2948  Plastic  Waste  Processors  are  registered  on  the  portal.  Since  the notification of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines on plastic packaging on 16 th  February 2022, nearly 157 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging waste has been recycled.

(e):  The  Plastic  Waste  Management  Rules  have  a  separate  provision  for  imposition  of Environmental  Compensation  based  upon  polluter  pays  principle,  on  persons  who  are  not complying with the provisions of these rules as per Guidelines notified by Central Pollution

Control Board. The CPCB has issued the revised Guidelines for Assessment of Environmental Compensation  in  August  2024.  Actions  have  also  been  taken  by  concerned  authorities  in States/UTs on the deviations, which include seizure of banned single use plastic items and levy of penalty, as per law.

****