The Meghalaya High Court has issued a slew of directions to the state government to prevent clandestine manufacture of plastic sheets “which is less than 120 microns width”.
The directives followed after a division bench of the High Court consisting of Chief Justice Indra Prassana Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh noted that apart from awareness programmes, “no real action” had been taken to ensure removal of plastic from the market.
“We find that action has been taken only in a major portion of East Khasi Hills District and hardly any in the remaining eleven districts of this State. The report indicates that in most of the places only awareness camps have been held,” the bench noted.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by High Court lawyer Phuyosa Yobin seeking a complete ban on single-use plastic (SUP) in Meghalaya.
“Members of the public have been made aware of the illegality in the use of plastic of 120 microns or more. We did not find that any real action has been taken to ensure removal of this description of plastic products from the market,” the division bench noted.
The court said that “positive and effective steps” for removal of plastics from the market would be the first step and to replace them with an equivalent substitute available at an equivalent price.
The court also directed all the deputy commissioners of all the districts to continue to carry out awareness camps indicating the adverse effects of plastic, informing and convincing the people by public announcement, through advertisement, billboards, wall writing, other media, that the use of plastic is detrimental to personal health, environment and the ecological system.
Moreover, the court also directed the deputy commissioners to give reasonable time to persons who have already procured and have possession of plastic less than 120 microns to return the items to the seller or to dispose of them hygienically.
“The state should take all steps to prevent its clandestine manufacture and identify and inspect places where they are in frequent use, seize them and deal with the offenders appropriately. For this purpose, administrative orders may be issued,” the bench ordered.
The court also directed the state administration through the rank of Secretary to collect all the reports from the Deputy Commissioners and submit before the court by June 20. The next hearing is fixed for June 25, 2025.
Earlier, while hearing the PIL, the court expressed its view that for a long period of time plastic was being used as a very inexpensive material to store goods and items in containers, bags, bottles and the like.
“We felt that in the absence of a viable substitute, sudden and total ban of plastic might jeopardise the economic life of this State. We took note and appreciated the adverse effect of plastic on the eco-system and environment,” the court said.
