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INTERNATIONAL PLASTIC BAG- FREE DAY

July 3rd was International Plastic Bag Free Day and the Zero Waste Himalaya Group geared themselves up for the challenge. Across the two places, Sikkim and Darjeeling, the issues with the plastic bags are somewhat similar but also varied. Sikkim was one of the first states to ban the bag with very successful implementation till many years, but of late with lack of monitoring, in many places the bag is making a comeback. Darjeeling town has been witness to a few ban attempts but these have had rather weak implementation support. In Sikkim, the plastic bag ban comes only under the Trade Acts and Rules notifications, that states no shops shall hand out goods in plastic bags to customers. This holds only the shopkeepers liable to the ban.

In both places, however, a serious issue and one that most people are ignorant about is that of the widespread use of non - woven poly propylene bag or the PP bag, which has replaced the plastic bag in the guise of being a cloth bag, but is in fact just as plastic. On this matter, an important tool we have on our side is the Delhi High Court's judgment of 2009, which has explicitly stated that the PP bag is 98 percent polypropylene and therefore plastic. 


From the Zero Waste Himalaya Group, we have been petitioning the State Government for the last couple of years on these issues - that the plastic bag ban needs a review to bring in a more strengthened approach and that it should include the PP bag under its purview.

On July 3rd, in Gangtok, our zero waste volunteers got together for a campaign in the main part of town - MG Marg. Armed with informative posters that raised the question - "Are plastic bags really banned in Sikkim?" the volunteers reached out to many Gangtokians, not letting the damp and rainy weather deter them. Along with the exhibition, reusable cloth bags were also given out to the visitors for a token amount. 
Reusable cloth bags were a big hit!








Meanwhile, across the Teesta, in Darjeeling we submitted petitions to the Honorable MLAs and the District Magistrate, backed by a strong social media campaign on Saying NO to plastic and PP bags. In Mirik, our zero waste volunteers undertook a signature campaign in schools around Mirik along with a sensitisation programme for students. A petition was subsequently submitted to the Municipality for bringing a ban on plastic bags. 



Comments

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  7. The plastic bag ban originates only below the Skill Performances and Rules announcements that states no workshops shall hand out properties in plastic bags & cases to clienteles. This holds only the retailers liable to the ban.

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