Plastic pollution, until recently, commanded low priority in Indian policy and academic discourse. Lately, however, greater attention is being drawn to plastics, due to the global focus on climate change and the appreciation of the disastrous impact of plastics on river and ocean systems, and human and animal life. The Indian government’s robust anti-plastic campaign, policy enforcement, enhanced waste management, and innovative approaches illustrate a steadfast commitment to combating plastic pollution and fostering a sustainable future.
Despite these, concrete results have remained elusive, due to weak implementation capacities at various levels and lack of general awareness and recognition of plastics as a huge threat to the environment and health. India’s population growth and development trajectory has meant that the efforts to mitigate the plastic problem have not been commensurate with the challenges that it presents.
