On October 2, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, India will set on a rather challenging journey to free the country of single-use plastic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is himself leading the nation in this momentous decision while several state governments as well as ministries have joined hands in this initiative.
It is worth reflecting at this historic juncture of the challenges that may have pushed to the call on a nationwide ban on the use of single use plastic and why it’s so crucial for the sustainable development of not just the given locality or the country but also for the planet we call home as a whole.?
Though the government believes that? India generates around 25,940 tonnes of plastic a day currently, the last credible study was done by Central Pollution Control Board and published in assessment report 2015 suggest that Indian cities generate 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste which is enough to fill 1500 trucks a day across the Indian cities. This report excludes the plastic waste generated from smaller towns and rural regions but yet the magnitude of this problem is clearly underlined in the report.?
A staggering total of it remains uncollected causing choking of drainage and river systems, littering of the marine ecosystem, soil and water pollution, ingestion by stray animals, and open air burning leading to adverse impact on human health and environment.
Here are the 9 Indian cities that are producing enormous amount of plastic waste on a daily basis:
Delhi?
The national capital produces at least 689 tonnes of plastic waste everyday. The capital is faced with an extremely high population density and unauthorised colonies because of which the actual scale of the problem is yet to be realised and fully understood.
There have been several reports on this front, including one by the WHO, which point to the grim situation. Most of the plastic waste generated in Delhi and adjoining areas is dumped at landfill sites, several of which see raging fires every year during the summer months.
The plastic waste gets burnt inadvertently and results in air pollution, which too is rising rapidly in India’s capital. Further, the landfill sites have literally turned into mountains of trash and a vast proportion of this is plastic.
Patna
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The capital of one of India’s most backward states, Bihar,?which is currently battling its worst flood in several decades leads in terms of plastic waste too. Most of the kirana and general stores in the city continue to use plastic bags for supplying products and people use them on a large scale.
The problem in Bihar’s capital is further aggravated by the fact that illiteracy is high and rules are meant to be broken. The authorities too are often unaware of the challenges that plastic poses and therefore the crisis only increase further.
Besides these too, Patna is yet to develop waste treatment plants that are in line with international environmental norms and keep up to the promise of limiting the use of plastic. The city is also the fifth most polluted city in India in terms of PM 2.5 concentration as per the report of WHO. Suspended road dust particles, emissions from vehicles and smoke undulating out of brick furnace have been linked to higher levels of respiratory suspended particulate matter (PM 10) in Patna.
Mumbai
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A recent high tide washed ashore an eye-popping 9 metric tonnes of trash along the Marine Drive promenade in the maximum city. But while the sights may have reminded us of the mess that we create, it was only nine times the garbage that is collected from the promenade every day, as per BMC officials.
The city of Mumbai, where people from India and abroad come in search of better prospects, too faces the challenges like Delhi where an increasing population concentration along with unauthorised colonies and slums make it difficult to tackle the plastic waste.
The situation is further aggrevated because the city is situated right on the shores of the Arabian Sea because of which much of the waste is simply thrown into the ocean.?
Chennai
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The capital of Tamil Nadu is no good when it comes to producing plastic waste. According to estimates, it produces about 429 tonnes of plastic waste per day and several reports have placed it on the second spot in terms of plastic waste generation after New Delhi.
The city has a large population and weak municipal bodies that are tasked to contain this menace. The use of plastic is rampant in Chennai despite several curbs and measures introduced in the past. While there is little clarity over where and how the plastic waste generated in Chennai is treated, several accounts have suggested that plastic waste is often dumped into the ocean in large quantities.?
Kolkata?
Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal and the city literally lives in a? trance.
Its rich historical background and cultural heritage distinguishes it from the rest of the country but it produces at least 425 tonnes of plastic waste on a daily basis. Scenes of rampant use of plastic bags is common in Kolkata and the festive season, which is fast approaching, sees an all time high in the plastic waste generation.
Kolkata is also situated closer to a river as well as the Bay of Bengal and the water bodies are often the easiest places to dump plastic waste, although its adverse impact on the environment is seen much later.?
Bengaluru
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The capital of Karnataka is fast losing its sheen and whereas it was regarded as one of the choicest cities in India to live in, people are being fast disenchanted by the changing landscapes in the city. In terms of plastic waste generation too, it features among the cities that produce maximum amount of it. As per The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Bengaluru produces at least 313 tonnes of plastic waste everyday.?
Agra
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It is the city of the Taj Mahal, renowned globally as one of the seven wonders of the world and attracts tourists from around the globe in large numbers.
However, unplanned growth over the past decades have led to an enormous generation of plastic waste. From shopkeepers to hoteliers and tourist guides, plastic is used widely by all of them. Although there is no specific data that clearly underlines the amount of plastic waste generated in the Taj city, several studies have pointed out that Agra is literally sitting on a plastic heap, and does not yet have a proper mechanism in place to contain its rise or to treat the waste.?
Lucknow?
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Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh and it also figures among the cities that produce a huge quantity of plastic waste. The city is the premiere shopping location for most parts of the state and plastic is widely used to supply goods. The plastic waste treatment mechanism has not yet been fully developed but the authorities have shown strict action ever since the ban on plastic was called. Reports also suggested that a road was recently built in Lucknow as well as Noida from the waste generated in the state. Let us hope this historic city defeats the plastic menace soon.?
Muzaffarpur
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Muzaffarpur in Bihar is comparatively smaller when compared to other cities that produce huge quantities of plastic waste but the city has endured the rampant use of plastic for decades. Almost every shop and vegetable vendors use plastic bags to sell their products.
The use of thermocol and plastic pipes have also been widely reported from the city.
The adjoining villages and towns around Muzaffarpur depend on the city for all their products. Illiteracy is again a major problem in the city and because the people aren’t aware of the long term implications of its use, they continue to do so without a second thought.
Poverty is another significant factor as when people can barely afford their meals and support their family, what degree of importance can they be expected to lay on issues that concern our environment? What comes cheap works best for them and plastic fills this void.?
Apart from these cities, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Hyderabad and Kanpur also produce significant amount of plastic waste on a daily basis. In fact, these cities produce much greater quantities of plastic waste as compared to Muzafarpur, Patna, Lucknow and Agra.?