The order has evoked mixed reactions. Ali Raza Rizvi, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Himachal Pradesh, says it will help improve people’s health, while the state environment ministry, responsible for managing plastic waste, chose not to comment. Prem Kumar, additional chief secretary (Home, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs), says, “We are consulting the law department to look into the provision of filing a special leave petition in the Supreme Court.” A number of products termed as junk food are manufactured in Delhi. It remains to be seen whether the manufacturer will specifically make goods for the state, adds Kumar.
In 2009, PepsiCo had introduced chips in biodegradable packs, but within a year it reverted to plastic, saying it was not received well by the consumers.
“Biodegradeable packing does not ensure durability of products and might lead to loss,” points out Nikhil Sood, a wholesaler of chocolates and chips in Shimla. Such a packing is not easily available. Though controlling plastic use will be good for the environment, it will cause inconvenience to customers,” says K L Radhakrishnan, chief editor of journal Indian Food Packer, mouthpiece of All India Food Processors’ Association in Delhi. He adds, “The health of the children is linked to their food habits. It will require much more effort to spread awareness on balanced food habits.” Vipin Kumar, an Uttarakhand-based expert on waste, says the alternate ways to pack food items like tetra packs and tin suggested by the court could also create problem, as their disposal is difficult. “Instead, the administration should levy tax on manufacturing companies and that money could be used to dispose of the non-biodegradable wrappers,” he suggests.
Bharati Chaturvedi of Delhi’s Chintan Environment and Research Action Group agrees. The authorities should push for paper and corrugated fiberboard for packing, she says. Since transporting these products in paper-based packing over long distances would be difficult, the government would have to promote local production of items, she adds.
Inputs from Avimuktesh Bhardwaj