Govt declares all protected areas plastic-free, Greenpeace calls the move only 'symbolic'

Will this initiative to tackle plastic pollution have any significant effect?

The environment ministry banned plastics in all protected areas around the country yesterday, thus declaring them "plastic free zones". However, Greenpeace India is not that excited about it.

"@moefcc bans plastic in any form in all protected areas and declare them Plastic Free Zones ahead of #WorldEnvironmentDay2018," Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan tweeted tonight.

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Dr. Harsh Vardhan

✔@drharshvardhan

.@moefcc bans plastic in any form in all protected areas and declare them “Plastic Free Zones” ahead of #WorldEnvironmentDay2018. Directs states & UTs to organise awareness campaigns to sensitise people. Protected areas in Bengal and Odisha are already plastic free zones.

9:35 PM - Apr 27, 2018

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This move was taken ahead of World Environment Day on June 5, and India is supposed to host the celebrations this year.

United Nations environment chief Erik Solheim was in the country recently and he signed a letter of intent on India hosting the World Environment Day.

WHAT GREENPEACE INDIA SAID ABOUT THE INITIATIVE

Greenpeace India has termed the recent move by the environment ministry as a "symbolic initiative" because protected areas cover only 5 per cent of land areas.

"Plastic consumption needs to be reduced at the source and production should be controlled to achieve real reduction in plastic waste," Climate and Energy Campaigner of Greenpeace India Nandikesh Sivalingam said.

"The solution is to turn off the plastics tap and decisively end the non-essential, single-use applications of the material," he said. Climate and Energy

CAMPAIGNER OF GREENPEACE INDIA NANDIKESH SIVALINGAM

Sivalingam said it is important to expand the move to reserved forests as well.
There are already protected areas in some states where plastic items or bottles are checked while entering and it is ensured that they are checked again to see whether the items taken in are there with the persons or not, he said.

"Increasing public revulsion over single-use plastics should be seen by policy makers and regulators as a sign that citizens want from their leaders better protection against the continuing onslaughts of an industry committed to pursuing bigger profit margins at the expense of a planet already drowning in plastic," Sivalingam said.

STEPS TO BE TAKEN AFTER PROTECTED AREAS ARE DECLARED PLASTIC-FREE:

• Environment Secretary CK Mishra had said all protected areas and forest reserves will be plastic-free zones and it will be mandatorily enforced
• He said non-recyclable plastics has been banned and various steps will be taken "so that plastic is not allowed inside the protected areas"
• States and union territories have been directed to organise awareness campaigns to sensitise people about the issue
• The official added that other alternatives to plastics would be provided gradually.