Chamundi Hill’s ‘plastic-free’ status proves an uphill task

Plastic crisis persists as enforcement falls short, making a mockery of plastic ban

Mysuru: All the efforts made during the recently concluded Nada Habba Mysore Dasara to combat the plastic menace in Chamundi Hill appear to have been in vain. The menace is posing a significant threat to the ecology of Chamundi Hill, one of the State’s prominent religious tourist destinations.

Both shopkeepers and tourists at the Hill shrine seem to disregard the issue, with even Forest Department officials neglecting the problem and only going through the motions rather than enforcing the regulations. This is evident as single-use plastics have resurfaced.

In response to the escalating plastic problem, Justice Subhash B. Adi, the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) State-level Committee, convened a meeting of district-level officials in July this year. During the meeting, a deadline was set to eliminate plastic use before Dasara.

Additionally, Forest, Environment, and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre had expressed intentions to make five cities in the State, including Mysuru, ‘Plastic Free.’

In light of these efforts, Chamundi Hill was declared a ‘Plastic-Free Zone’ on Sept. 1, 2023, following the example of Tirumala Hills in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. This made Chamundi Hill the first tourist spot in the district to take stringent measures to curb the unrestricted use of plastic.

Plastic use in full flow

Justice Subhash B. Adi, who also visited Chamundi Hill, directed officials to penalise shopkeepers found violating the ban on plastic. However, the responsible officers have failed to take necessary action. They have not even conducted inspections of the shops to ensure compliance with the plastic ban.

With officials failing to enforce the order, vendors of puja items, including flowers, fruits, coconuts, and incense sticks, continue to use plastic carry bags for packaging.

The Forest Department had announced penalties of Rs. 500 for improper disposal of plastic, with Rs. 2,500 for the first offence, Rs. 5,000 for the second offence, and Rs. 10,000 for the third offence. If officials had acted as promised, shopkeepers would have been deterred from using plastic.

Now, plastic can be seen littered along the roads of Chamundi Hill, as well as in waste heaps, raising questions about how the State Government can achieve its ambitious plans to make five cities, including Mysuru and Bidar, plastic-free.

Khandre to hold meeting

Minister Eshwar Khandre expressed his concern and stated, “Both the Forest Department and the District Administration have been instructed to ban single-use plastic at Chamundi Hill. Stringent action will be taken against  any violations.”

Plastic is a recognised health hazard as it does not biodegrade in soil or water and causes air pollution when burned. Furthermore, plastic is not efficiently recycled, and stray animals may ingest discarded plastic in public places, leading to harm and fatalities.

The Minister assured, “I am visiting Mysuru next week, during which I will hold a meeting with the officers.”

By Bapu Lingaraj Urs