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Dear readers, do you welcome the ban?
Have you got rid of plastic completely?
Tell us your stories, suggestions and share photographs of how you are supporting the ban.
Photograph: Courtesy Photo Dream World Art/Pixabay.com
On March 15, 2018, Maharashtra became the 18th state in India to ban the manufacture, sale, import, storage and use of all plastic carry bags and a range of other plastic products.
The items exempt from the ban are milk pouches, wrappers for processed food, dustbin liners, packs for medicines, solid waste and agricultural products, and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles.
In certain states popular for tourists, there is a ban on sale of polythene bags. These include Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
In August 2017, environment minister Harsh Vardhan expressed concerns over replacing polythene bags.
"There is no proposal to impose ban on the use of polythene bags completely throughout the country," he'd said.
As for the citizens, while some have welcomed the ban and happily moved to eco-friendly alternatives, some are still struggling to find the best way to get rid of plastic and plastic products.
"#PlasticBan by Maharashtra is one of the most ridiculous decision, again not for its intent but implementation. No alternatives put forth, no recycling, innovations explored, not enough time for transition, improper communication, just lazy, easy, confusing decision of banning. Hopeless!" Kapil Muzumdar wrote on Twitter.
"Just now, my monthly essential food products got delivered from a local kirana shop. Almost everything is packed in plastic. How are we going to tackle this? #plasticban," Sujit shared on Twitter.
"MCGM Markets are putting up banned plastic collection bins. Let's deposit banned plastic to the nearest locations and save Mumbai. Support #PlasticBan," Nidhi Choudhary shared on Twitter.
Dear readers, how are you coping with the plastic ban?
Have you switched to cloth bags and bio-degradable options?
What are the eco-friendly ways to replace plastic and plastic products?
Have you been able to completely get rid of plastic from your daily routine?
Tell us about your interesting ways and methods to deal with the plastic plan.
You can also share photographs of how you support the plastic ban. Your views and suggestions can be helpful for other readers too.
Email your stories, experiences and challenges you are facing to getahead@rediff.co.in (subject: I Support Plastic Ban) along with your NAME, AGE and LOCATION, if possible. We'll feature the best responses on Rediff.com