Since the PWM rules were published (2016) that Khushi Parisara is trying to get from the dignitaries endowed for their implementation the needful action. They are listed below.
https://www.khushiparisara.in/sups-banned-in-karnataka/
In July 2022 KSPCB gave the Office Order NoPCB/WMC/764/SUP-PLS/2022/ 2612 for the Establishment of State Control Room (SCR) to facilitate activities related to the effective implementation of SUP Ban.
Alas, the established Control Room created to facilitate activities related to effective implementation of SUP ban, does not exist and Stakeholders are deprived of assistance, guidance, clarification and information regarding the ban on SUP items.
And we have Local Bodies unveiling complete deriliction of their duties, unable to implement the rules, by lack of knowledge, by confusion (created by circulars of KSPCB), by ineptitude, by inertia.
Then, it happens that almost all official departments are flooded with all sizes of flex banners sent from the Central and State departments. All corporates and parties are following the example and displaying their commercial or political marketing in flex.
Deplorably, PWM Rules are ignored by public and the notified officers. Ignored or dismissed. We really don’t know.
What all of us can see is that, away from paper order, no action has been taken so far, though
All types of plastics banned since the last 9 years are freely moving around with their presence being topped, and displayed, through the flex banners of almost all departments, inclusive of Police Dept. After all these years, we have but to understand that along with the lack of will (only revocable through severe orders) there is a general lack of knowledge, with plastic literacy absent even from high officers using it at public events.
One of the major challenges for achievement of the order is to build knowledge, releasing simple & basic, but accurate, understanding of the current Plastic Rules and their amendments, (through memos and visual depictions).
Knowledgeable technical supervision, through clear instructions issued to the concerned Officers, Representatives (moved by local member of Legislative Assembly), workers, departments (Health, Police, Education, Endowment, Tourism, RDPR, Revenue/Tahshildar, Education, Fisheries, among others) is of paramount importance for public servants to get involved and prioritize their efforts to prevent, control and eliminate SUPs, assuming managerial roles by a decentralized qualified guidance and monitoring. Such knowledgeable technical guidance can be delivered only by KSPCB officers or Environmental Engineers.
Only then, extremely clear, comprehensive, strict, specific directions to the liable departments and officers must be given for regular/ seldom field Inspection of sellers/ users/ producers of SUPs, for the collection of those materials, and for all the needful provisions for the implementation of the ban.
Following such cognizance we requested action and direction to overcome the main difficulties at stake
- The inaction of KSPCB concerning our demands of action and information
a) To order all Local Bodies to get removed, within 30 days, the flex banners displayed at all Govt Offices and at public places
b) To ensure the complete closure of all manufacturing facilities of flex banners and boards at the entire State
c) To ensure knowledge and awareness program to superior officers of all government departments displaying flex boards and banners at their premises and at their functions
d) Action related to the petrochemical industries
e) Did KSPCB modified or revoked consent to operate issued under the Air/Water Act to industries engaged in SUP items
f) How to recover the KSPCB Special TaskForce and Control Room to support stakeholders & governing bodies liable for its implementation
g) Are the FEE announced five plastic free cities orders lawful within our legal framework
- to the DC of Uttara Kannada the infra detailed Proposal on COMPREHENSIVE DIRECTIONS to be issued to the liable Officers for enforcement of SUPs ban
- District level Identification of major stockists/distributors/sellers to break the SUP supply chain through backtracking – all officials being directed to identify source of SUP items supply
- Issue of Orders by concerned authorities to cancel Commercial Licenses for SUP violation
- Drive planned regular field inspection and market survey of SUP sellers/users/producers
- Conduct Surprise inspections & raids
- Issue Challans of seizure of banned items
- Issue notices to the defaulters for non submission of Challan amount.
- Deploy Police force for the inspections and raids to avoid untoward incidents
- Fill fortnightly reports on the compliance of directions issued for implementation of SUP Ban
- Impose Environmental Compensation on violators
No reply, no reaction, no action. Except keeping on the promotion of banned SUPs, along Zylla Panchayat CEO and SP.
But if at District the situation is permanently reiterated, at the capital of the state, the indifference of High Level governors is displayed at official places – as MS Building
Despite the 2018 orders and circulars on the ban of plastic water bottles from official meetings, it’s officially recognized (2023) that
it has been observed that the instructions of the above-mentioned government order are not being followed in the meetings and functions organized by the government or by government-owned boards, corporations, universities and any institutions receiving funds from the government and it is not justifiable to distribute drinking water in plastic bottles in meetings and functions.
Acknowledging the lack of proper awareness & training of Public Servants on Environmental laws, we need that highest dignitaries secure that they all cognize, follow and enforce the rules.
The alas well displayed all around by Press and Social Media, unscathed violation of the State Plastic Waste Management Rules and regulations by the high-level Public Servants raises the unanswerable question:
How can citizens be forced & fined for not following them after such consistent and reiterated (inadvertent?) institutional violation of rules, orders and circulars on the various SUPs legal framework?
When shall we start a public outcry on such longstanding institutional plastic greywash?
P. S. It was also reiterated by the Supreme Court (2024) that the right to a pollution-free environment is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution noticing its lack of enforcement mechanisms and adjudicated officers.
