Will the drains be clean after ban on plastic bags is implemented?

31-Aug-05

The government would like us to believe that the drains will be clean after the ban on bags is imposed in Maharashtra. Here are three pictures taken of a drain on the 28th of August 2005. The drains are completely blocked by soil, leaves, paper, bottles, little of plastic and even a slipper. The waste in the drains is so tightly packed that it will not flow away with the rain water, and definitely looks choked. The government is urged to reconsider its decision as it is impractical. Instead the industry, NGOs and the government could consider the following * A strict ban on less than 20 micron bags * A high profile awareness campaign to urge all citizens to change our age old habit of littering (this includes not only businesses, but also housing societies, the slums, the common man, road side food and vegetable vendors, restaurants, children and adults) * Segregation of plastic, paper and other recyclable waste * Training of Rag pickers * Industry could consider collection centres for plastic waste across the city * Designate recycling units in or around the city to procure the collected waste for recycling. We hope that the authorities realise the benefits of plastics and strike at the root cause.