Take cue from Ladakh on environmental conservation |
It’s a welcome move by the Ladakh administration to order a strict ban on identified Single-Use Plastic items across the mountainous region. The decision is aimed to ensure that Ladakh’s breathtaking landscapes remain clean, unspoilt and ecologically resilient. The approved framework by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena strictly prohibits the use, sale, storage, stocking, distribution, transportation and supply of all identified Single-Use Plastic items, including plastic cutlery, cups, plates, straws, trays, wrapping films, thermocol decorations, plastic flags, plastic stirrers and plastic banners below the prescribed thickness. Like in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir’s eco-fragile system has been facing serious environmental pollution due to unscientific disposal of polythene, single use plastics and non-biodegradable items.Notwithstanding ban on polythene bags and single use plastics, there is wanton use and improper disposal of these non-biodegradable items in J&K. It is estimated that more than 50,000 tons of polythene and plastic waste is generated in J & K annually. The problem is compounded as there is no scientific process to collect and segregate plastics or polythene at source, non-biodegradable items. Subsequently these non-biodegradables are dumped into water bodies, landfill sites and forests—causing severe damage to the environment.
The J&K High Court had imposed a blanket ban on entry, use and sale of polythene bags. Subsequently on June 18, 2008, the Government banned all kinds of polythene bags by issuing SRO 182 under the J&K Non-Biodegradable Material (Management, Handling and Disposal) Act, 2007. But, successive regimes failed to implement it. The........