Task force formed to end plastic use, govt tells HC

Mumbai: The government of Maharashtra on Friday informed the Bombay high court that it has formed a special task force consisting of plastic manufacturing associations and experts along with government officials to find out the solution to end use of plastic in the state.

In an affidavit filed before the division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Riyaz Chagla, Sanjay Sandanshiv, under secretary of environment department, said, “The government has formed a task force consisting of different plastic manufacturing associations, experts from different institutions and concerned government officials to find out solutions and to prepare an action plan for plastic waste management to end the life cycle of plastic.”

The bench was hearing a petition challenging the government notification banning manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of all plastic materials and also items made from thermocol. The notification was issued on March 23, granting manufacturers, distributors and retailers three months time to dispose of their existing stock of the banned items. But the government gave end-consumers and users one month to dispose off their stock.

The court had directed the petitioners to give representation before the government for further consideration on plastic ban. On Friday when the plea came up for hearing, the government told the court that it has formed two committees – an expert committee under the chairmanship of the additional chief secretary and an implementation committee under chairmanship of environment minister.

According to affidavit, the expert committee was looking into the representations submitted by the petitioners. It said that manufacturers and producers have not come up with foolproof buy-back mechanism for recycling lastic waste.