Delhi gives 10-day grace period to comply with single-use plastic ban

The Delhi government has given people a 10-day grace period to comply with the single-use plastic ban.

The Delhi government has decided to be lenient towards those violating the ban on single-use plastic (SUP) items for the initial 10 days and has launched a massive campaign to create awareness against the use of such commodities and promote their alternatives.

It will also provide incentives to SUP manufacturing units willing to switch over to green alternatives.

Enforcing the ban without providing alternatives to people will be detrimental considering the effect of Covid on businesses and inflation, an official said.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai had Friday said the ban comes into effect when the unemployment rate is high.

"It is going to affect a large number of manufacturers, distributors and sellers of SUP items. Many people will find it difficult to make their ends meet. These people are our own," he had said.

A three-day fair is being organised at the Thyagraj Stadium here to promote alternatives to SUP items. On Sunday, the government will hold a roundtable conference with all the stakeholders, including food delivery services such as Zomato and Swiggy, to discuss these alternatives.

The government has also issued directions to urban local bodies to install kiosks in markets for promotion and sale of SUP alternatives. Delhi generates 1,060 tonnes of plastic waste per day. SUP is estimated to be 5.6 per cent (or 56 kg per metric tonnes) of the total solid waste in the capital.