Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Friday told the Bombay high court that it had authorised the railway, metro and airport authorities to initiate action, within their jurisdictional areas, against those violating the statewide plastic ban.
Following the March 23 government notification imposing a ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution and storage of single-use plastic, the notification was challenged in the high court by manufacturers and retailers’ associations on grounds that the ban was arbitrary and violated their fundamental right to a livelihood. In April, the high court refused to stay the notification after observing that it could not ignore the adverse effects of plastic waste on the environment.
On Friday, undersecretary of the state environment department, Sanjay Sandhanshiv, filed an affidavit stating, “Any officer nominated by the railway, metro, Maharashtra Maritime Board and airport authority is also authorised to initiate action under the notification.”
The affidavit said that the empowerment committee constituted under the chairmanship of the state environment minister had heard the representations made by the petitioners and submitted its recommendations to the government.
“It shall be the sole responsibility of the manufacturer of PET bottles to ensure that these bottles are collected from retailers and recycled. The manufacturers shall diligently implement their extended producers’ responsibility plan,” the affidavit said.
