A partial view of Mokokchung town. (Photo courtesy: Mokokchung.nic.in)
Our Correspondent
Mokokchung | July 12
Mokokchung Municipality has recently resolved to make Mokokchung ‘Plastic free’ by the year end.
To start with, the Mokokchung Municipal Council (MMC) and the district administration has already issued a notification that packaged drinking water of less than one litre will be banned with effect from September and complete ban on single-use plastic will take effect from October within Mokokchung Municipal Jurisdiction.
Single use plastics less than 50 microns, including plastic cutleries, styrofoam, thermocol disposable plates/cups, pan/tamul wrappers is already banned in all the 18 wards of Mokokchung town.
The Morung Express spoke to citizens of Mokokchung about their outlook on the ban of plastics and how possibly the town can achieve a plastic free status.
Atoba Longkumer, an engineering graduate, said that it is a welcome step from the Mokokchung Municipal Council (MMC) to finally put a ban on the single use of plastics, 22 years after San Francisco, the first state in the US to put a ban on these items. He said that law enforcers need to act smart if it wishes to implement the ban in letter and spirit.
“In my opinion there is actually no need to ban, just add a heavy tax. Place a restraint where people will feel it most, their pockets. By placing a tax on plastic bags we are not limiting people's choices but we are cutting down on plastic bag use. The revenue gained would also be valuable to the government who could put it towards environmental issues already caused by the use of plastic bags. This is a much more effective way of dealing with the problem,” he added.
There is already a standing order issued by the MMC that defaulters will be imposed with a fine of Rs 1000 for the first offence and Rs 3000 for subsequent offences.
Raju, who has been running a grocery store for almost thirty years in Mokokchung said “if the MMC is imposing an order we will have to comply with it, we have no other option. We are running a big shop with varieties of items. Not selling few items will not impact much, also as shopkeepers we might end up using paper bags which not many of the customers will like”. He added that there should be an alternative for plastic bags.
Limaonen Imchen, Convenor of the Clean Mokokchung Campaign was of the opinion that the order will make an impact if the MMC puts effort in follow up plans unlike the government orders and that it should be put into practice and not just in paper.
He added “It may take a while to see the changes but I believe it will be successful as the people of Mokokchung are also getting aware of the consequences of plastics waste. It also depends on how good the administration will work in implementing it by coordinating with the various organisations like MCCI, All ward Union or the police”.
Akumyala, Principal Jubilee Memorial College while supporting the initiative however wanted to know whether the authorities have any alternatives in mind. “The authorities cannot just impose the ban without having a proper plan and without having an alternative for plastics”, she opined.
Sungjemmongla Imchen, a home based baker also expressed the same. She said Nagas do not follow orders easily and the initiative will be successful only when reasonable replacement for plastics is supplied. She added that most people do not want to pay for the expensive large paper bags and that she will also have to look for alternatives to pack her cakes for delivery.
On the flipside, Limaonen added “a lot of people talk about alternatives, but I feel that alternative will just come up once the law is implemented successfully as the saying goes ‘Necessity is the mother of invention”.
Longritemjen Ao, Chairman, Aongza ward was of the opinion that Mokokchung can become ‘plastic free’ only if the Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce (MCCI) along with its business community co-operates and only when the local ward authorities are empowered.
We need to act against non biodegradable wastes but with prudence so as not to create disruption in the community, Atoba Longkumer remarked.
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