The uncontrolled inflow of plastic bags and other plastic products from Myanmar and other parts besides using of ‘unknown’ quality of plastic bottles in Manipur drew attention of the many stakeholders during the one-day workshop on sensitization of Wildlife, Forest and Environment Laws at Bishnupur district headquarters on Saturday , 30 km south of Imphal .
“There are rules and acts to control plastic pollution. But there is lack of regulation and control of quality of plastic polyethene bags etc,” said deputy director Dr T Brajakumar of Environment Department.
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“We need proper implementation of Environment Protection Act for a sustainable livelihood,” he added.
Brajakumar was speaking in a one-day Bishnupur forest division sponsored workshop on sensitization of Wildlife, Forest and Environment Laws at Bishnupur district headquarters.
In August, 2017, Manipur government had notified complete ban on the use of plastic carry bags of more than fifty microns in thickness which is similar to the thickness of hair with immediate effect.
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Any person found using such plastics bags will be punished under Section 15 Environment Protection Act, 1966.
Similarly ahead of the World Environment Day on June 5, the Environment Ministry has banned plastics in all protected areas around the country, thus declaring them ‘plastic free zones’.
Interestingly India will be the global host of 2018 World Environment Day under the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’.
Reports said, every year the world uses 500 billion plastic bags and each year at least eight million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans, the equivalent of a full garbage truck every minute.
Assistant Professor and wildlife warden of Bishnupur district RK Birjit Singh also shared a talk on importance of wildlife conservation with special reference to Manipur while Conservator of Forest, Manipur, L Joykumar Singh and Divisional Forest Officer, R K Amarjit of Bishnupur district spoke on relevant sections of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and role of the enforcement agencies and overview of Forest Conservation Act 1980 which is the most powerful and most implemented Act in the country.
Earlier the workshop was inaugurated by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Bishnupur district Monalisha Maibam along with chairman of State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Dr Kh Shamungou and others.