Kerala High Court bans single-use plastics at weddings and hilly areas

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has ordered a ban on single-use plastic items at wedding venues, hotels, and popular hill station tourist destinations. The court also banned plastic water bottles below five litres and soft drink bottles below two litres. The ban will come into effect on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, as per the directive issued by a division bench comprising Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas and Justice P. Gopinath.

To implement the order, the Chief Secretary and Local Self-Government Secretary have been instructed to take action by September. Since there is a pending appeal before the High Court, non-woven plastic bags above 60 GSM are currently exempt from the ban.

The bench emphasised that a clean environment is a fundamental right. The directive comes in connection with a suo motu petition initiated following the massive fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment facility two years ago.

Key court directives:

• Plastic water bottles below 5 litres, soft drink bottles below 2 litres, plastic straws, food packets, plastic plates, cups, and bakery boxes are banned in hill stations, wedding venues, auditoriums, hotels, and restaurants. These items are also banned in official events organised by both the central and state governments.
• Drinking water kiosks and water dispensers must be installed at hill stations. Tourists must not be allowed to carry single-use plastic. Reusable items such as steel glasses should be made available for drinking water. The district administration and local bodies must provide facilities to sell water in glass bottles or similar alternatives.
• Dumping plastic in the seas, rivers, and canals must be strictly prevented. Plastic waste in water bodies should be removed with the help of voluntary organisations.
• Existing laws regulating plastic use must be strictly enforced.