UPDATE

Toxics Link organized a roundtable meeting on the effectiveness of plastic ban in Kolakata with a wide range of stakeholders on 28 August, 2015. The meeting’s objective was to share the findings of a recent study done by Toxics Link titled “Kolkata and Environment –Plastic Menace”, and to start a meaningful discussion with stakeholders to chart out a roadmap for making the city plastic free.

The meeting highlighted crucial findings of the study, some of them being rampant use of plastic bags despite the ban, clogging drains and littering of plastic bags in markets and colonies, lopsided approach of enforcement agencies, and the disregard of the ban by shop-owners. The study also highlighted the good practices adopted in some of the localities such as in Bangur.

Representatives of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), Market Committees, Academic Institutions, Tourist/Heritage sites, Ward Councilors, NGOs, and the media were present during the meeting. Ward Councilor of Bangur area shared his first hand experience in making that locality plastic free. KMC representative highlighting other issues also pointed out the drainage problems due to plastic carry bags and the initiatives that can be taken in the city. Several suggestions came up by the participants, some of them being: formation of a committee for proper implementation of the ban, awareness generation through media especially during festival times, and introducing penalty mechanism by the authorities.