This Guy's Reality Check Amid The Plastic Ban In Maharashtra Is Something To Think About
On March 23 Maharashtra announced a ban on manufacture use sale distribution and storage of plastic materials. The announcement comes days after Modi announcement that he will eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022. The state-wide plastic ban including carry-bags and thermocol will result in loss of many jobs and revenue. The ban also comes with a lot of ambiguity and confusion as people do not know what to not use or use.
Millions around the country and the globe joined hands to run a crusade against plastic this month. On 5th June, the world environment day, we saw a plethora of Facebook posts, banners, Whatsapp forwards, videos and massive content on how plastic was killing our planet. Amid a certain sense of guilt, a certain sense of awakening was also imbibed by the citizens of the country.
On March 23, Maharashtra announced a ban on manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of plastic materials such as one-time-use bags, spoons, plates, PET and PETE bottles and thermocol items. The announcement comes days after Modi announcement that he will eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022.
This ban in Maharashtra keeps people from using plastic on regular basis in daily life - from buying vegetables to condiments, from buying produces to water. The state-wide plastic ban, including carry-bags and thermocol, will result in loss of many jobs and revenue. But this is not the only problem. The ban also comes with a lot of ambiguity and confusion as people do not know what to not use or use. They do not know about the alternatives.
1.
Plastic ban understood. But what about the alternatives? Perhaps change always comes with unknown consequences (?)#maharashtraplasticban
¡ª Krishanu Kashyap (@krishanuk01) June 24, 2018
2.
#MaharashtraPlasticBan
¡ª Suchitra (@Suchitra_Neel) June 23, 2018
A trader in Solapur (MH) fined of 5000/- Rs for using plastic bag after ban. pic.twitter.com/RkwXkQ8Ho7
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I am not against #MaharashtraPlasticBan !
¡ª Nirali Kanabar (@NiraliKanabar7) June 23, 2018
But let's see how far our responsible government executes it correctly #SwachhBharat has been not implemented properly and many areas in India are proof of it?!
4.
#MaharashtraPlasticBan
¡ª Gurpreet Kaur Chadha (@GurpreetKChadha) June 24, 2018
U cannot buy loose daal fm a local store & pack it in plastic bag, Bt you can buy Adani Wilmar Dal packed in plastic bags fm a departmental store.
Small tea vendors cannot gv u tea in a thermocol cup bt ur new LED TV can cm packed in thermocol protection
5.
#maharashtraplasticban There is a lot of confusion and ambiguity. The government should issue proper advisory and spread it widely to create awareness and clear the confusions.
¡ª Rashmi_* (@rashmi__SS) June 23, 2018
One Facebook user points out the absurdity of this law. While people cannot use plastic, they still can use things that come packaged in plastic. Darshan Mondkar took it to Facebook to express his views on the law and how it's affecting everyone -
Darshan's post has highlighted the loopholes that the Maharastra government needs to address. It's almost as if the ban has been put on common people and not on organizations who churn tonnes and tonnes of plastic every day.
