Country-wide ban on plastic will help TN implement effectively: Supriya Sahu

Tamil Nadu was one of the first states to implement a ban on single use plastic across the state in 2019 but the Covid-19 pandemic which prompted people to opt for ‘use-and-throw’ items slowed down the efforts to keep plastic away from the routine. As an all-India ban on single-use plastics came into force on July 1, DH’s E.T.B. Sivapriyan spoke to Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment and Forests) on the state’s experience in implementing the ban. She said the government is now adopting a two-pronged strategy – persuasion and enforcement – to bring about a change in people’s minds. Excerpts:

Q: It has been three years since TN banned use of plastic and over a year since you took over the department. How has been the journey as far as the plastic ban is concerned?

A: The journey we have undertaken is challenging, tough and promising at the same time. I say tough because Covid to a very great extent saw to it that plastic kept coming back after the ban was imposed in the state. Due to the Covid protocol, people began using disposable cups, plates, PPE kits and masks. It was difficult and a very challenging exercise to stop the usage of plastic. But it was also an exhilarating journey because you saw so much support from the people. From merchants to housewives to students to young children, all of them supported our initiative. I would say this is a very promising exercise because I find the younger generation absolutely committed to protecting the environment.

Read | Plastic ban: A step forward but no clear roadmap

Q: Has the goal to ensure a plastic free Tamil nadu achieved? How is the response from traders and other stakeholders?

A: I would say the response has been very encouraging. But not all of them have converted (to using eco-friendly alternatives). There are a few people who are still putting up some resistance and not coming around. We understand attitude changes take time. While convincing people to dump plastic, we are also enforcing the ban on the ground by imposing heavy fines and seizing the plastic. What is more important is that many people have started supporting us. We are working with restaurants’ associations to ensure they adopt eco-friendly alternatives, and the change is brought about. I won’t say we have achieved 100 percent success but it is a work in progress. We wrote to Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, and Flipkart asking them to support our initiative and that adopting such practices will be a sustainable way of doing business. People lived without plastic in the past. During the campaign, we realised that people understand plastic is very dangerous, but they are taking time to change because plastic has been with us in our lives for more than sixty years. I am sure in Tamil Nadu, since we have taken a lead in comparison with other states, we have an advantage.

Q: What strategy will TN adopt now as the ban is now across the country?

A: We follow a strategy that is based on both persuasion and enforcement. The authorities continue their enforcement activities, while the government officials meet merchants and convince them of the ill-effects of plastic. Most of them are convinced, but some are yet to be. We will continue to reach out to them. I think we have to intensify our efforts much more as the ban is now getting implemented all over the country, though it is a smaller ban in comparison with Tamil Nadu whose ban is comprehensive. Till now, we were working like an island and things will get much better now as other states will also be implementing the ban.

Q: Meendum Manjapai (yellow bag) campaign became a hit in the state. Could you please elaborate.

A: The campaign has caught the imagination of the people of Tamil Nadu. Right from the launch by the Chief Minister (M K Stalin) on December 23, it has spread like wildfire everywhere. People got reminded about their beautiful eco-friendly past and if you see, Tamil Nadu is one of those states that always followed eco-friendly practices. The feast in weddings was always served on a banana leaf. Manjappai is also part of people’s culture and tradition and a few decades ago, people used to take the yellow bag to markets. During the launch, the CM said Manjappai should be part of our identity and that became an instant hit. We wanted to appeal to the people to shift to cloth bags and we thought of doing it in an innovative way. The campaign was successful because the yellow bag is basically rooted in people’s tradition and culture. It reminds them of their past and when people realise it is not something new, it becomes easy for them to fall back upon. We got (actor) Vijay Sethupathi to promote the campaign, opened our social media handles, gave advertisements in newspapers, and printed posters. We gave a new avatar to Manjapai as we realised that the young generation may not like the old design. So, the Manjapai was converted into a kind of backpack. That became a big hit and people started asking where I can get it. Young collectors got into action popularized extensively by personal usage. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) also have livelihood opportunities and now we see grassroots politicians using Manjappai to give to people.

Q: The government installed a Manjappai vending machine at the Koyambedu bus terminus recently. How is the response and can we see more such machines in the state?

A: We have installed one machine which is working well, and we have placed orders for another 20 machines. We are planning to link the machine with somebody who will take care of it by stocking the yellow bags and operating it. We have identified 20 women SHGs and we will train them to operate the machines after which we will spread them out in 20 places in the next 45 days. We have also asked the district collectors to use various government schemes to promote the use of cloth bags, including by installing such machines in public places.