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Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Dec 31: On the 13th of September the A & N Administration took out a notification in the Daily Telegram banning all PET bottles. Water & beverages, including Alcohol below 2 and 8 other items were also banned.
The said ban was to come into effect after 60 days of the date of issue of this notification, which was dated 5th Sept. 2019.
It is clear that all beverages under 2 Ltrs in PET are banned through this notification, from the intervening night of 4th-5th November 2019.
In the Daily Telegrams of 18th Dec 2019, it is reported that “ANPCC seizes over 900 PET bottles below Ltrs”. This was in a local packaged drinking water factory.
In the DT of 20th Dec 2019, it is reported that “ANPCC Seizes large quantity of filled & empty PET bottles below 2 Itrs”. This was also in a local packaged drinking water factory.
In addition to the above it can be observed that the administration officials are raiding petty shopkeepers threatening them with seizure of whatever PET bottled products they have under 2 ltrs.
On the other hand it is observed that the administration has turned a blind eye towards the stock of liquor in PET bottles below 2ltrs, which is being stocked & sold by ANIDCO Ld.
This stock of liquor in PET bottles under 2 lirs of volume comes under purview of the plastic ban vide notification no 186.
The Administration is tirelessly working towards the seizure of drinking water, juice & other soft beverages packed in PET below 2 ltrs, while turning a blind eye towards liquor in PET bottles under 2 ltrs of volume.
Why this standard of dual policy of the administration?
This type of ban of PET bottles for water & beverages is not present anywhere in the country, but it is implemented here in these Islands.
There is a guideline from the MOEFC to all the administrators & Chief Secretaries in all the states & UTs In India about how to manage single use plastics, in which it is specifically mentioned that “”Certain Single-use plastic product; including PET/PETE bottles used for packaging beverages including water, may not require prohibitive action and will continue under the ambit of recycling/processing channels under EPR”.
This circular was widely published in newspapers and e-papers also across the country. But the administration has totally ignored guidelines of the ministry.
This ban has come into effect even after all the manufacturers & importers of the islands have given in writing to the administration that they will strictly follow the guidelines of the Plastic Waste Management rules and they will collect all the used plastic from the Islands and deposit it at the collection centre of PBMC at Brookshabad, as per extended producers responsibility or EPR.
When asked that why only in Andaman PET bottles, below 2 Ltrs are banned and how this step is legal, a senior officers of Andaman and Nicobar Administration told Andaman Sheekha that the ban under Environment Protection Act, rule 5, the Lt. Governor of UT has been given power to take such decisions based on the ground level situation and impact of plastic waste.
He said that after notification 60 days were given to submit claims and objections and again after warning notice 60 days timing was given then why nobody raised objections at that point of time.
When asked that how come ANIIDCO is selling liquor in bottles, which are below 2 Ltrs, the said official said that a letter has already been sent to ANIIDCO from Science and Technology Department regarding this issue.
The Andaman and Nicobar Administration has already taken a step to minimize use of PET bottles in Andaman, we can only hope that the decision is obeyed by all stake holders and is not forced only on some selected groups.
Some Idiots are harassing and exploiting these Islands popularly known as Administration,They are invisible but there presence can be felt everywhere,They have their OWN Way to Act and Careless behavior and way of running these Islands are really shameful and disgusting way