PLASTIC IS HAZARDOUS FOR HEALTH

Ara, 5 June 2023, (RNI): Despite complete ban on use of single use plastic on July 1, 2022 by the central government, it is used with impunity right under the nose of the officers of the Bhojpur district administration even today. Every year on June 5, ‘World Environment Day’ is celebrated with zest and people and even officials of every department take oath not to use single use plastic but it proves only a routine work and nothing is done to discourage use of single use plastic on ground level and the use of plastic creates environment pollution at all level. Besides, sound, soil, air and water pollution are at its pick. 

Plastic can last for centuries, neither can it rot nor does it decompose. It causes a lot of health problems and for human beings and even for animals. Animals consume plastic and in turn it goes to the body of human beings who eat meat, fish, mutton and thus creates health problems. It also causes soil pollution and affects fertility. It also pollutes environment, food, air and water.

Plastic is used everywhere as it is easy to carry almost kinds things even liquid in it. Even fast foods are packed in plastic. Not to speak of poor shopkeepers, the Sudha Dairy uses plastic with impunity and milk packed in it is supplied even to government offices. Plastic carry bangs are used also indiscriminately in medical stores.

Now the question arises as to what should be used supplanting plastics. Utensils, carry bags and products made of stainless-steel, glass, platinum silicon, bamboos soil, porcelain and bio-plastic are strongly suggested as an alternative to plastic. Besides, government is to launch awareness programme to make people aware of the danger of plastic and close the units making plastic bags.

Crock and buggy vehicles are still plying on roads in Bhojpur district right under the nose of the District Transport Officer and caused air and sound pollution and the department turned a Nelson’s eye towards this danger. The department bothers neither to check the pollution level of these vehicles nor ban them despite the People are easy prey to the departmental apathy despite stern order of the government in this regard.

In spite of ban on Disc Jockey (DJ) and repeated directives of the district administration, playing of DJ on every occasion such as during marriage, social gatherings, worship and procession at high pitch is common even at the presence f the officials of the district administration. Playing of DJ at high pitch claims even lives and causes a lot of health problems like deafness, affects nervous system and heart problem but the officials never take action against playing of DJ. The sound level at 35 decibel is permissible in the night while during day hour it may be 45 decibel as human beings have capacity to hear 55 to 60 decibel of sound but more than 60 decibel sound causes deafness and other problems.

In Bhojpur district only 36 hectare of land out of total 2474 square kilometer area, is covered with trees which the forest department calls ‘Green Cover’ and one may gage the status of pollution control in the district.

Besides, Bhojpur district lacks garbage dumping system. At least 2000 ton garbage including 200 tons of plastic are generated every day in the district. The Ara Municipal Corporation plans for dumping garbage every year but in vain. The garbage carrying vehicles carry garbage without cover dropping garbage on roads. Garbage are dumped on roadside without planning that creates dangerous situation. Even the government hospitals and private nursing homes dump biomedical wastes on roadsides. The AMC failed to garbage management so far.

Municipal Commissioner, AMC Niroj Kumar Bhagat said that stern action would be taken against shop owners using plastic carry bags and even against the shop owners making plastic carry bags. He appealed the people to use jute bags.

People said that earlier, the district administration had initiated action against the plastic bags but action was taken against only the vegetable vendors and small shop keepers but the big one were overlooked.