#Haridwar: In a push to one of PM Narendra Modi-led government’s top Sawachh Bharat Abhiyan campaigns, the country’s green tribunal has said there would be a complete ban on procurement, storage and use of plastics along the stretch of Ganga from Uttarakhand’s Gomukh to Haridwar. The tribunal said the ban would be in force from February, but did not spell out any penalty.
The government had allocated Rs 20,000 crore for its Clean Ganga Mission over five years.

The ban means restriction on use of plastic bottles, including beverage bottles and plastic wrappings of some of the top companies. None of the companies was available for comment.
“Production per se is unlikely to be affected, but companies will have to invest more in pollution control mechanisms. While cost of fresh investment will have to be taken on the profit and loss account, the producers of environment saving equipment will see a growth in business. What starts in Uttarakhand today will be sooner or later extended to other states, too, like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Bengal, which have similar challenges and huge industries along the river,” said D R Dogra, chief executive and managing director of Care Ratings.
The industries that have to invest in pollution control measures include chemicals, dyestuffs, pharmaceuticals, leather, handicrafts, engineering, textiles and power. “While most of those that will be affected would be smaller companies that have not built structures for waste disposal till now, the larger ones would have to invest more in such processes. Further, if units are shut, the labour employed could face consequences. However, one would expect that most units would comply or seek an extension until such time that they are compliant,” Dogra added.
PUSH TO GANGA REJUVENATION
Use of plastics of any thickness, including carry bags, plates and allied items, banned from Feb
The ban means restrictions on the use of plastic bottles, including beverage bottles and plastic wrappings of some of the top companies
Production is unlikely to be affected, but firms will have to invest more in pollution control mechanisms
Panel divides cleaning work into different segments, the first segment being Gomukh to Haridwar
Other segments are Haridwar to Kanpur, Kanpur to UP border, UP border of Jharkhand & from there to Bay of Bengal
The panel divided the cleaning work of Ganga into different segments — Gomukh to Haridwar, Haridwar to Kanpur, Kanpur to UP border, UP border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal. “There shall be a complete prohibition on use of plastic, including carry bags, plates, glasses, spoons, packages and allied items, in all cities falling on the river Ganga and its tributaries in Gomukh to Haridwar. Under no circumstances, plastic carry bags of any thickness would be permitted,” a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The NGT also spelt out a series of other pollution control measures in the area. Corporate analysts said the NGT’s orders are significant, as the country gets ready to meet global pollution control norms. Agencies
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