Kashmir is generating over 50,000 tonnes of plastic and polythene waste every year, more than 2.25 lakh tonnes piled up in just five recent years. And this in a Union Territory that banned polythene carry bags back in 2008. We do not lack legislation. J&K has had court orders since 2006, a blanket ban via SRO-182, an expanded SRO-45 in 2017, and Centre-level restrictions on single-use plastics since 2022. What we lack is the will to enforce any of it.

The tragedy is compounded by where this waste ends up. Kashmir’s........

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