On the fifth day of the winter session of parliament, Union Environment Minister Jaishankar Javadekar called out all state ministers to talk about solid waste management. “The government will convene a meeting of environment ministers of all states to discuss the problem of single-use plastic and solid waste management and measures to solve it”, he said in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
“A collection of thin plastic waste and small pouches of plastic is an issue. 25-30 tons of plastic waste is generated every day in the country and just two-thirds of it is collected. The rest of the plastic continues to be in the environment as garbage in drains, beaches, roads and other places,” he said.
He further said, “Around 30 crore mobile phones become redundant every year and recycling them is also an issue. The minister, as well as several MPs, suggested that people should give up the use of plastic bags and instead use cloth or jute bags for day-to-day use like shopping. The government is also looking into the option of bio-degradable plastic.”
Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla said separate time could be earmarked for a detailed discussion on the issue. “This House is the representative body of the country’s 130 crore population. There should be a discussion on this important issue. We should take a pledge in this House against plastic waste. I am sure the entire House stands united on this.”