Meghalaya High Court directs stronger enforcement of plastic ban

The Meghalaya High Court has ordered district officials to take concrete steps toward enforcing the state's plastic ban after finding implementation has been largely limited to awareness campaigns with little actual enforcement.

In a hearing held on May 14, the division bench comprising Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh reviewed a report submitted by the state government regarding actions taken to enforce restrictions on plastic below 120 microns in thickness.

"We find that action has been taken only in a major portion of East Khasi Hills District and hardly any in the remaining eleven districts of this State," noted the court in its order, expressing dissatisfaction with the limited progress made since the case was first admitted in August 2024.

The public interest litigation (PIL No.7/2024) was initially entertained by former Chief Justice S. Vaidyanathan, who had directed the state to work toward a total ban on plastic use due to its negative environmental impact.

When the current bench first heard the matter in November 2024, they acknowledged plastic's widespread use as an inexpensive storage material while recognising its environmental dangers. The court noted that "plastic waste cannot be easily recycled or safely destroyed. It causes waste management problems because of its long natural life, it chokes waterbodies and the drainage system, resulting in the accumulation of garbage in public places."

The High Court has now issued specific directives to all Deputy Commissioners in the state's twelve districts, requiring them to:

• Continue conducting awareness camps about plastic's adverse effects
• Use public announcements, advertisements, billboards, and other media to inform people about plastic's detrimental impacts on personal health and the environment
• Provide reasonable time for people to return or properly dispose of plastic items less than 120 microns thick
• Prevent the manufacture of plastic below 120 microns thickness within the state
• Identify locations where banned plastic is frequently used, conduct inspections, seize prohibited items, and take appropriate action against offenders

The court has directed the state administration to collect reports from all Deputy Commissioners and submit a comprehensive progress report by June 20, 2025. The case is scheduled for the next hearing on June 25, 2025.

This development comes amid growing concerns about plastic pollution in Meghalaya's rivers and forests, which are vital to the state's ecology and tourism economy.