Though much is debated and discussed about restrictions on single use plastic in Jammu & Kashmir like several states and union territories of the country but the purchases of plastic cutlery items, sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, and PVC banners freely in markets across Jammu & Kashmir shows contradiction in the words and actions of the municipal corporations of the twin capital cities-Srinagar and Jammu and major towns of both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division. Consequently the single use plastic has spread even in the remotest of the remote rural areas of Jammu & Kashmir where panchayat bodies could have more intensely checked and curbed fast growing plastic pollution. Since the plastic cutlery items are more intensely used in marriage ceremonies and restaurants in Kashmir Valley during peak summer months, hundreds of tones of plastic waste used daily in cities, towns and villages remain uncollected due to increasing negligence by the municipal and panchayat bodies across Jammu & Kashmir. Civic bodies not clearing plastic waste even during the mid tourist season from both the residential areas and as well as commercial hubs in summer capital Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir valley are as such responsible for increasing intensity of the plastic pollution in twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu and major towns of both Jammu division and as well as Kashmir valley. In fact restrictions on single used plastic even if imposed forcefully won’t work well unless and until the civic bodies in both rural and urban parts of Jammu & Kashmir don’t vigorously carry out sensitisation and awareness campaigns with the active cooperation and coordination of both the people and as well as the civil society groups. While the people use plastic bags for the purposes of their own convenience, not only the local populations of Jammu and Kashmir but tourist also bear the brunt of plastic pollution in twin capital cities-Srinagar and Jammu and major towns of both Jammu division and as well as Kashmir Valley .
Administrative wisdom demands that plastic waste disposal management is reviewed by the both the municipal and panchayat bodies periodically for the purpose of quick lifting of the waste and it’s disposal in a given time frame. Care has to be taken that plastic waste is not washed down into streams and rivers and enters the Jhelum in Kashmir valley and similarly the authorities in Jammu have to ensure that waste dumped along banks of river Tawi is cleared before rains wash it away into streams and river Tawi. Unless and until the entry of plastic bags from most of the states and union territories is not checked and disallowed, the restrictions on single use plastic won’t make much difference in any part of Jammu & Kashmir.
While the disposal of the plastic waste is comparatively managed well in twin capital cities, the plastic pollution is increasing fast in towns and villages due to delays in collection of the plastic waste and negligence in it’s disposal. Administrative wisdom demands that plastic waste disposal management is reviewed by the both the municipal and panchayat bodies periodically for the purpose of quick lifting of the waste and it’s disposal in a given time frame. Care has to be taken that plastic waste is not washed down into streams and rivers and enters the Jhelum in Kashmir valley and similarly the authorities in Jammu have to ensure that waste dumped along banks of river Tawi is cleared before rains wash it away into streams and river Tawi. Unless and until the entry of plastic bags from most of the states and union territories is not checked and disallowed, the restrictions on single use plastic won’t make much difference in any part of Jammu & Kashmir.
