top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

MVA protests for third day:

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies continued their agitation for the third day in different parts of Maharashtra with an aggressive state Congress hitting the streets today to protest the detention of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra and other Congress leaders yesterday, here on Wednesday. State and city Youth Congress again carried out vociferous protests near Mantralaya raising slogans, carrying banners and placards slamming the...

MVA protests for third day:

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies continued their agitation for the third day in different parts of Maharashtra with an aggressive state Congress hitting the streets today to protest the detention of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra and other Congress leaders yesterday, here on Wednesday. State and city Youth Congress again carried out vociferous protests near Mantralaya raising slogans, carrying banners and placards slamming the state and central Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and when some attempted to enter inside, they were prevented by a strong posse of Mumbai Police deployed there since Monday. As tensions appeared to escalate, the police clamped down by detaining top state and city Youth Congress leaders including President Harshwardhan Sapkal, Vijay Wadettiwar, Bhai Jagtap, Hussain Dalwai, and many others. Thousands of students carried out a fresh demonstration at Dadar west Shivaji Park to vent their ire at the police action on Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s agitation in New Delhi on Monday. Several MVA leaders and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray visited or expressed solidarity with the protesting youth, comprising many women. Opposition’s Voice The Congress leaders alleged that Rahul Gandhi was targeted by the BJP-led government to muzzle democratic dissent, suppress the Opposition voices inside and outside Parliament and trampling upon the peoples' Constitutional Rights to protest peacefully. Defying pouring rains in the city on Wednesday, Congress workers along with activists of MVA allies, staged a noisy demonstration in Chembur and another group attempted to storm the BJP office in south Mumbai, condemning the assault on students in New Delhi and the detention of the Gandhi siblings. Senior Congress leader Hussain Dalwai flayed the government for “misusing the police” to gag democratic rights and the protests were intended to defend the Constitution and democracy against the BJP’s policy of intolerance of dissent in any form. “This is gross injustice. We are not allowed to protest against the government failures as they are misusing the police. The PM is scared of taking the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as he could be the next. We want to highlight to the BJP to govern the country as per the Constitution,” Dalwai declared, interacting with the media at Nariman Point. As the BJP also threatened to launch counter-protests, the police cordoned off and deployed a precautionary security ring around Tilak Bhavan, the state Congress headquarters, as leaders from both sides exchanged political darts and looked aggressive enough for a confrontation. MVA ‘bandh’, ‘Tricolour’ march today The state is set for another two days of political turmoil as the MVA has announced a Maharashtra shutdown (‘bandh’) on Thursday followed by a non-partisan ‘Tricolour Peace March’ on Friday. MVA allies, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, besides other leaders of the alliance, informed of the state and city level actions today. Ambedkar appealed to the masses and also the BJP youth to participate wholeheartedly in the bandh tomorrow and claimed that students’ bodies, parent-teachers associations, colleges, universities, other institutes of higher education, private coaching institutions, and other governmental departments could support the shutdown, as it has now become a national issue. Aaditya sought the peoples’ participation in the ‘Tricolour Peace March’ on the theme of “One Nation, One Emotion” planned on July 24 afternoon to Shivaji Park, in support of environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, the Cockroach Janta Party, plus the youth and students protesting in New Delhi. Terming it as a national citizens’ movement rather than a political party, he called upon the people not to carry any party flags but unite under the National Tricolour to assert democratic rights and express resentment against the government’s high-handed policies. Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have already imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 across the city from July 23-to- August 6, apprehending the possibility of law-and-order disturbances.

Plastic Waste Amendments Aim to Rein in Pollution

The latest plastic waste management amendments aim to reduce long-term plastic pollution through safer, more complete decomposition of plastics.

The Plastic Waste Management Rules have undergone several amendments over the years to address emerging environmental concerns and implementation challenges. The changes introduced in 2018 and 2022 focused on issues such as multi-layered plastics, registration systems, thicker carry bags, recycled plastic packaging, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). These amendments sought to balance environmental protection with practical and industry-related concerns.


Building on these earlier reforms, the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024, were notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on March 15, 2024. The latest amendments introduce stricter regulations for biodegradable plastics, redefine key stakeholders such as importers and manufacturers, strengthen EPR provisions, and place greater emphasis on the management of microplastics. They also prescribe stricter standards to ensure that biodegradable plastics degrade without leaving behind toxic residue or microplastics.


The significant amendments to the Plastic Waste Management Rules in 2024 include a revised definition of biodegradable plastics, with emphasis on their ability to degrade without leaving behind microplastics. The Rules also specifically define microplastics as solid plastic particles of certain dimensions, recognising their growing environmental threat.


Further, the scope of the term “importer” has been expanded to cover a wider range of plastic-related materials, while the definition of “manufacturer” now includes those involved in different stages of plastic production. These changes reflect a stronger attempt to tackle plastic pollution in India through stricter standards and greater regulatory clarity.


Biodegradable plastics are defined under the amended rules as materials capable of breaking down through biological processes in specific environments such as soil and landfills, without leaving behind microplastics. The Rules also define microplastics as solid plastic particles of a particular size range that do not dissolve in water. These definitions are significant because they bring greater clarity to the regulation of plastic waste and its environmental impact.


Plastic Pollution

The focus on biodegradable plastics is aimed at reducing long-term plastic pollution by encouraging the use of materials that can decompose more completely and safely. At the same time, the recognition of microplastics as a separate category is important because these particles are a growing source of water and soil pollution. Microplastics not only harm aquatic ecosystems and marine life but can also enter the food chain and pose risks to human health.


The revised definitions also encourage industries to adopt more sustainable practices in plastic production, packaging, and waste management. By setting clearer standards, the Rules seek to improve accountability and ensure that manufacturers and producers follow environmentally responsible practices. Clearer definitions further make it easier for regulatory authorities to monitor compliance and enforce environmental standards more effectively.


The 2024 amendments therefore strengthen the overall framework for plastic waste management in India. They represent an important attempt by the government to address plastic pollution through better regulation, improved waste management practices, and greater emphasis on sustainability and resource conservation. The changes also align with the broader goal of reducing environmental degradation caused by excessive plastic use.


Another important provision introduced through the amendments is that manufacturers producing carry bags and commodities made from compostable or biodegradable plastics must obtain certification from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) before marketing or selling such products. This provision is intended to prevent false or misleading claims regarding biodegradable plastics and to ensure that only approved materials enter the market.


The amendments also promote the recycling and reuse of plastic packaging waste by prescribing mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets and encouraging the use of recycled plastic content. These measures seek to create a circular economy in which plastic waste is continuously reused and repurposed instead of being discarded after a single use. In the long run, such measures are expected to reduce environmental damage and strengthen sustainable waste management practices in India.


More on this in my next article. Till then, have a great weekend!


(The writer is an environmentalist. Views personal.)

Comments

bottom of page