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Ban recycling of plastic: HC

CUTTACK: In a significant ruling, the Orissa High Court on Thursday imposed a blanket ban on manufacture, import, storage and use of recycled polythene in the State. The ban order would be effective from May 1 this year. The State Pollution Control Board and the Industries Department have been directed by the High Court to ensure effective implementation of the court order and file compliance reports to it separately by May 15.

Expressing anguish and dissatisfaction, the court gave the ruling while observing that repeated orders banning the use of recycled polythene were not effectively implemented by any of the State agencies. “We are forced to encroach upon the administrative domain of the State government because it did not take any step to phase out the use of recycled polythene which is detrimental to environment and local ecology,” said a Bench consisting of Chief Justice A. K. Ganguly and Justice Indrajit Mohanty.

The Bench further observed that while as many 13 States in the country had already banned the use of recycled polythene of less than 20 microns, the State government had not bothered to take any action in this regard despite sufficient time was given to it.

“Orissa has become a dumping ground of recycled polythene because 80 per cent of such material is imported from outside,” the Bench observed.

It may be recalled here that the Federation of Consumer Organisation of Orissa had moved the High Court way back in 2002 seeking a complete ban on recycled polythene in the State. The petition had expressed concern over increasing use of polythene bags in the State and heaps of such material polluting the drinking water sources and blocking the drains and canals.

Adjudicating over the petition, the High Court had passed orders to this effect repeatedly during the last six years. In January 2004, the High Court asked the Forest Department to ensure phasing out of use of polythene in State. Later when the forest department failed to carry out the orders, the municipalities were asked to implement the orders. Even the civic body authorities too failed in the endeavour.

Earlier, this month, the High Court in an interim order once again had asked the government to consider ban on use of recycled polythene bags. “It appears that the State government has not issued orders directing the total ban of use of recycled polythene. It is not in dispute that most of the polythene bags used in the State are recycled,” the High Court had observed. However, when the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, the Bench came down heavily on the government after it was told that the no step had been taken in this direction.

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