to broadbase the use of plastics in an eco-friendly manner, the ministry of environment and forests ( m o ef ) has constituted a national task force headed by D K Biswas, chairperson of the Central Pollution Control Board ( cpcb ). The report would include a strategy to manage plastic wastes in the form of guidelines, incentives and penalties for checking the growth of plastic packaging material. The task force is expected to submit its report in six months. This was announced at the national conference on plastics and the environment, held last month in New Delhi.
Surprisingly, while there were representatives from the plastics industry and officials from the m o ef , cpcb and state pcb s, the conference was devoid of representation from the voluntary sector. The fact that the task force would comprise of representatives from public and private sectors and 'technical experts', leaving no room for the environmental lobby, would seem to present an entirely pro-industry task force.
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