Enforce plastic ban

The High Court’s order to ban plastic use in and around Zero Point of Zojila Pass is a welcome step to protect the site’s fragile ecosystem, and the authorities should do everything to implement it. Despite the longstanding ban, plastic bags and single-use plastics (SUPs) continue to flood markets, streets, and water bodies across Kashmir.  The issue was and remains the strict enforcement and real public commitment.

The lingering polythene pollution in Srinagar is an example. Although the government banned polythene bags in the city in 2022, they are present everywhere. You’ll see vendors selling products in them like nothing has changed. The reason is weak enforcement, and also the lack of affordable alternatives. In fact, both shopkeepers and customers are to blame: the former contend that eco-friendly bags are too expensive, while the latter prefer convenience over sustainability. The result is that plastic clogs Dal Lake, chokes drains, and litters landscapes.

True, this isn’t just Kashmir’s problem. According to reports, even in New York, five years after its plastic bag ban, the streets are still filled with them. If a global city like New York struggles to enforce such laws, what does that say about the challenge we face?

As with many problems of our time, plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue—it’s a behavioral one. It requires a mindset shift, bans alone won’t work. However, the Zojila ban will be a test case. It would be interesting to see how firmly the authorities implement the ban at the site. At the same time, the government needs to muster the will to enforce the existing plastic ban in Srinagar, and the other parts of the Valley. The intermittent crackdowns would hardly do, it must be consistent, not just a one-time effort. And to do this sustainably, the fines need to be stricter for the violators. Businesses must be nudged towards sustainable packaging, and people should be persuaded to see the consequences of plastic pollution firsthand. A plastic-free Kashmir is possible, but only if we stop treating bans as symbolic gestures.