'Banning' as a solution; the case of ban on Plastic bags

Dr PR Arun

India Centre for Human Rights and Law, Mumbai

 

 

Of late our government is on a banning spree. It is banning all the evils, social and Environmental alike. From Dance bar ban to Plastic ban the bans of recent times have kicked up controversies and debates. However the effectiveness of the bans in controlling the targeted social and environmental maladies is questionable.  If things were so easy, we could have rectified all our problems with this magic wand of ban. The government can go ahead with banning people from drinking contaminated water and stop all the water-borne diseases, and further may ban poverty and unemployment.

 

Let us take the latest among the recent instances of ban; the banning of plastic bags by the Maharashtra Government. The plastic (not only bags) is a grave environmental concern of modern times and there is no doubt that we need to control and reduce the manufacture and use of plastics. But it is foolhardy to believe that the plastic was not banned so far because nobody had this brilliant idea so far.

 

However the present ban is queer in many ways. Firstly the ban fails to recognise that the plastic bags are not a luxury item and it derived its popularity not just because of the economics and convenience, but also because of the hygienic reasons. Unless we don't have viable alternatives to plastics ban is just another impossible solution, resorted by the authorities in the face of their failure to enforce the earlier ban on below 20-micron thick bags and also their failure to enforce effective waste recycling and management.

The ban most badly affects the poorer sections of the society who cannot afford a switch over to expensive alternatives (if at all available).

 

In a situation like this where such a common and most widely used material such as plastic bags are banned completely overnight, with no suggestions for a viable alternative, would only compel the people to use the plastic bags illegally. Since there is no economically viable and hygienic alternative available to replace the plastic bags, the people would be forced to illegally use it and the ban would only contribute to corruption and black markets.

 

A pragmatic approach with practical strategies to phase out the menace of plastics from the environment is the need of the hour. This should involve the state exploring cheaper and environmentally benign alternative substances and practices specific to each and every sector that use plastics. The state cannot wash their hands off by just banning the plastic bags; their responsibility extend far beyond the ban to wean away the society gradually from the irresponsible usage of plastics.