The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) told the Madras High Court on Thursday, October 27, that it plans to conduct intensive checks till the end of this year to ensure the ban on single use plastics is implemented. The board added that their focus will be on street vendors, flower sellers, weekly markers and local businesses. A Division Bench consisting of Justices S Vaidyanathan and PT Asha heard the case.

According to The Hindu, the Bench was informed that the Central Pollution Control Board has written to their state counterparts on October 12, asking them to “crack down on single-use plastics through an intensive drive” till December 2022. Based on this communication, the TNPCB has asked the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), the Commissioner of Municipal Administration and the Director of Town Panchayats to conduct checks across Tamil Nadu to implement the ban and create awareness among people to shift to eco-friendly alternatives.

The court was informed by Additional Advocate General J Ravindran that TNPCB had also come out with a comprehensive 340 page directory with details of businesses who manufacture eco-friendly alternatives to single use plastic products like food wrappers, plates, plastic coated tea cups, among other products. The directory also contains details of district-wise manufacturers of products made of cloth, jute, glass and other organic materials. This directory has been put up on the TNPCB website.

According to The Hindu, the court lauded the efforts taken by the TNPCB to provide a list of manufacturers who make eco-friendly products that can replace products made of single use plastic. The Division Bench observed, “We are happy to note that this directory is a first-of-its-kind in the entire country and persons who had conceptualised the above, deserve accolades. The directory would not only help the retailers but also help the domestic purchasers since we are informed that the directory is available online.”