In the effort to phase out single-use plastic (SUP) and move toward a plastic-free town, a drive was held on Monday at Kangpokpi district headquarters.
The drive was held four days after a friendly awareness programme with licence holders and shopkeepers of Kangpokpi District Headquarters was held at SHADC Conference Hall.
As a part of its concerted effort in curbing the use of single-use plastic and its commitment to keep a strict vigil on the ban, Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council, Kangpokpi led the plastic drive in the town.
The collective drive, led by Limminthang Haokip, Executive Officer (Town), Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council (SHADC), Kangpokpi, was participated by representatives of Kangpokpi Town Committee and a team of Kangpokpi Police led by SI Raju Singh.
The shop-to-shop drive was held in various places of Kangpokpi District Headquarters including Nute Kailhang, restaurants, hotels, meat vendors, chicken centres, etc.
Interestingly, the teams found that almost all the shops began to use non-plastic bags while avoiding single-use plastic.
Laudably, some shop owners put up "Please carry your own bag for shopping, don't ask for a plastic bag from the shopkeeper, sorry for the inconvenience" in front of their shops, both in English and local dialect.
The teams seized few plastic bags from some shopkeepers and vegetable vendors with a warning that any licence holder shopkeepers/business establishment found violating, selling and using the single-use plastic again shall be punished under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Limminthang Haokip, Executive Officer (Town), SHADC, Kangpokpi said that with the nationwide ban on Single-Use Plastic (SUP) coming into effect on 1 July, the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council is committed to keeping a strict vigil on the ban in the Kangpokpi district.
He said, adhering to the District Administration notification following the enforcement of 'Manipur Plastic Policy, 2022' incorporating Regulatory Framework and Action Plan for effective management of plastic waste and complete elimination of single-use plastic, the SHADC, Kangpokpi has made a concerted effort for effective implementation of the policy.
He also recalled that for the effective implementation of 'Manipur Plastic Policy, 2022' and as part of its concerted efforts in curbing the use of single-use plastic, SHADC, Kangpokpi had already organized a one-day friendly awareness program with license holders’ shopkeepers of Kangpokpi District Headquarters on 'ban on the use of single-use plastic'.
He further said that keeping in mind the harmful effects of single-use plastic on humans and animals, and the environment, the shop-to-shop drive was initiated by SHADC, Kangpokpi with the participation of all concerned authorities.
He said that the friendly awareness program held on July 14 at SHADC Conference Hall, Kangpokpi had an immense impact on the ban on single-use plastic in the town as most of the shopkeepers and the public was seen avoiding the use of single-use plastic rather they begin to use carry bags made of non-plastics.
Awareness was also created on the harmful effects of plastic use and discipline to be followed for non-use of plastics with specific attention on the plastic carry bags.
It is worth recalling that the ban on plastic in the past had not yielded returns as single-use plastic items creep back in no time and to address the problem the authorities concerned need to embark on an intense awareness program not only on the harmful effects of plastic use but also for behavioral changes of the public.
