Roadmap sought to tackle plastic pollution in the city

Man-made imbalance in the ecosystem is dangerousthe need of the hour is coherent action DR SUHAS PEDNEKAR, vice chancellor, University of Mumbai

MUMBAI: For every 17 kilograms of fish they catch, fishermen in the city end up with a kilogram of plastic waste, found a study by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) — Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Versova Also, since the plastic ban, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has seized 1,400 tons of plastic across the state and daily, Mumbai generates 40827 tons of plastic waste

These findings were presented during a discussion on plastic marine litter, organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) with United Nations Environment Programme and the University of Mumbai Representatives of the state government, plastic industry, research bodies and non-government organisations gave inputs that will be presented to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray

Sanjay Sandanshiv, undersecretary (environment department), said, “All pointers discussed today will be submitted in the form of a request letter before the CM to develop a road map for the state to effectively tackle the issue [of plastic waste]” He added that Maharashtra has “come a long way in tackling plastic pollution” over the past decade

MU’S vice chancellor, Dr Suhas Pednekar, who chaired the discussion, said, “The threat to mankind is not from terrorist activities, but from man-made imbalance in the ecosystem (in context of plastic pollution), which is more dangerous It is of utmost importance to handover a safe environment to the future generation, and for that, the need of the hour is coherent action”

A state-wide plastic ban came into effect on June 23, 2018 Since then the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has seized over 85,000 kgs of plastic

According to data presented by MPCB, Mumbai generates 23,400 metric tonnes of solid waste per day Of this, 5-6% is plastic (1,200-1,500 tonnes per day)

“We have collected ₹6 crore in fines since the ban was implemented with Mumbai accounting for ₹4 crore alone,” said Nandkumar Gurav, regional officer (headquarters), MPCB