New Delhi, July 16: The Centre did not prepare enough to provide people alternatives and shift manufacturing units to green options before banning single-use plastic and the curb cannot be imposed forcibly, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has said.
He also claimed the Union government did not even call a meeting of state environment ministers before the ban came into force.
“I think it (announcement of the ban) lacked preparation. Stakeholders should have been told about alternatives and the government’s support (provided) to help them shift to the green options… I think these issues should have been resolved before announcing the ban,” Rai told PTI in an interview.
The minister said raw materials for alternatives to single-use plastic items attract high GST, which makes the product unviable for people.
“The GST rate on green alternatives and their raw material should have been slashed before the implementation of the ban… The central government was required to prepare a proper mechanism. The curb cannot be enforced forcibly,” he said.
Besides drafting laws, the governments in states and at the Centre need to work on options available if they want to stop plastic pollution, the minister said.
“Our government organised a three-day fair at the Thyagraj Stadium to promote alternatives to single-use plastic items. We got to know that units manufacturing such items are willing to shift to alternatives, but it takes long (around a year) to obtain permissions. (PTI)
