Are we ready to go plastic-free?

Princi Verma

Program Associate, Kalkaji

Going plastic-free for a city like Delhi with a huge population and diversified demographics, I think, is not a sustainable initiative. Unless steps to bring structural change are taken in the form of bottom-to-top awareness among consumers as well as those who manufacture and supply plastic, and the provision of user-friendly, sustainable alternatives to plastic for producers and consumers is taken care of, plastic usage will always remain a gigantic issue in the national capital.

 

Anju Arora

Senior Scientist, CCUBGA

Ban on single-use plastics is a welcome step to curb environmental pollution. Single-use plastic being light in weight causes clogging of drains and is very harmful to aquatic life. It will help in cutting down the amount of plastic waste generated. Banning single-use cutlery and food packaging may be a concern as, during pandemics, hygiene is very important. But there are alternatives available like disposable cutlery made from rice straw. SUPs must be banned and the use of environment-friendly alternatives encouraged. It is a very important step towards improving environmental as well as human health.

 

Akshay Vashistha

Kailash Colony, Development Professional

Keeping in mind the sheer size and diversity of Delhi’s demography, ensuring compliance with any government policy is always an area of concern. We can’t expect it to become a social movement overnight because of a lack of awareness amongst the population regarding its impact, so we can assume that this policy will not receive active participation from the citizens.

Since ensuring compliance is tricky, the only way forward is to curb the producers and retailers of such single-use plastic. Instead of a blanket ban, the government should provide hand-holding support to these businesses in changing their business.

 

Harleen Likhari

Cafeteria owner, Jasola Vihar

This is a very good initiative taken by the government. Plastic has become a global menace as most plastic items are non-biodegradable. It pollutes rivers, oceans, farmlands and even our neighbourhood. So, it becomes important to take strict measures at the earliest.

On the other hand, it is a major concern for those of us working on catering food items. The government should simultaneously make sure that good and reasonable alternatives are made available in the market which are environment-friendly.

 

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