The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) led by Executive Member (Trade), Paul Lyngdoh has taken the plastic menace seriously enough to ban its use completely in Shillong’s oldest market- Iewduh, by September 1 next. It is noteworthy that the Syiem of Mylliem under whose jurisdiction Iewduh falls has also endorsed this move of the KHADC. This consensus needs to be built even with the State Government and extended to other markets and localities as well, particularly the main shopping centre at Khyndailad (Police Bazar). It is not as if plastic carry bags have not been banned in the past but the whole attempt was nullified by clauses put forward by traders dealing with plastics. So they defined the micron thickness of the plastic carry bags and Government complied. The whole exercise was futile. It is hoped that after October 2, the date announced by Prime Minister, Modi on August 15 as the date for banning all single use plastics, the administrators of all districts of Meghalaya will not be caught in the web of the “micron.” If they still do, then they are disregarding the efforts of civil societies of different shades to clean up public spaces and rivers where the bulk of the plastics are embedded. Our rivers and streams can no longer take this burden. The flooding around Motphran and elsewhere on August 22, should serve as a warning to all that the unprecedented is happening. Floods were unknown in the past because water drained out easily. Now the drains and streamlets are clogged with plastics and other solid waste.
Another problem with every notification is the implementation part. Indians are congenital law breakers. Unless there are strict penalties on defaulters, no ban will work. Look at the ban on smoking in public places! It hardly works. People continue to smoke in public vehicles at the cost of the health of fellow passengers. They throw garbage right at the point where there is a notice board prohibiting littering. Hence the KHADC has done well in appointing teams to monitor that the ban is effectively implemented. But apart from such official monitoring, it is also incumbent upon citizens to change their mindsets and their reliance on plastic carry bags. In fact, citizens should themselves monitor that the ban is implemented in letter and spirit. This is imperative for every good initiative to succeed. The people of Meghalaya must think beyond their comfort zones and walk the extra mile because the younger generation has a right to a clean environment.
