The latest notification by the Mokokchung Municipal Council (MMC) banning all single-use plastic (SUP) carry bags, irrespective of microns, and single-use plastic bottles for water and soft drinks below one liter within the Mokokchung Municipal jurisdiction poses a challenge to traders selling beverages such as Frooti, Lassi, Fundaaz, Kissan, Coca Cola, Maaza, and more.
The directive, issued by MMC, complies with the Urban Development Department notification dated July 10, 2024.
This notification has left a section of the business community in a fix in Mokokchung. While this newspaper does not have a copy of the notification from the Urban Development Department, the MMC notification, which was issued in compliance with the former, spells out the ban on “soft drinks below one liter,” leaving the traders in a tight situation.
According to an MCCI official, in Mokokchung town alone, the current stock of “soft drinks below one liter” products is estimated to be worth Rs 2.5 crores. Most of these ready-to-serve products do not come with a “return policy” from the manufacturing companies.
“The traders would incur a huge loss if the products were not disposed of within the next few days before the ban becomes effective,” the MCCI official told MT.
It is learned that the traders have met with the Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) to request that the matter regarding the ban on “soft drinks below one liter” be taken up with the appropriate authority.
“While the business community is understood to be aware of the gravity of plastic pollution and is ready to cooperate with the authorities regarding the ban on SUP carry bags irrespective of microns and SUP bottles for packaged water below one liter, the sudden notification promulgating the ban on ‘soft drinks below one liter’ appears to have left them in a negative situation,” the MCCI official added.
On inquiry, the MCCI official said that the traders were not against the ban but needed a “window period” to dispose of the “soft drinks below one liter” products in stock.
While previous notifications banning SUP items are clear with regard to the ban on SUP carry bags irrespective of microns and SUP bottles for packaged water below one liter, the ban on “soft drinks below one liter” appears to have created an air of ambiguity.
Previous orders banning SUPs in Nagaland date back to 2019. According to media records, the Nagaland state government first banned the use of certain SUPs in 2019. Three years later, along with the nationwide ban, Nagaland also implemented it. The 2022 ban forbade the production, importation, stockpiling, distribution, sale, and use of specific single-use plastic (SUP) goods as mentioned in The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021.
The list of prohibited items included earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets. Plastic or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) banners less than 100 microns were also banned.
Along with the rest of the state and country, the ban on single-use plastics was also implemented in Mokokchung, although its effective implementation is open to debate. The ban stipulated that the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than 120 microns in thickness, effective December 31, 2022. Further, a non-woven plastic bag shall not be less than 60 grams per square meter (GSM), effective September 30, 2022.
However, in all of these bans, the issue of “soft drinks below one liter” was never specifically mentioned until this time.
As traders seek a grace period, the response from authorities and businesses in the coming days will be crucial in determining the smooth implementation of these regulations and the future of single use plastics usage in the district.