New Delhi:The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has imposed fines on various beverage makers including Coke, PepsiCo, Patanjali and bottled water maker Bisleri over the non-compliance of plastic waste management rules under which companies have to file statutory returns to the Government bodies for the collection and disposal of plastic waste.
Notices issued by Chairman CPCB, Shiv Das Meena stated that the units have to fulfil the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in accordance with the provisions of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2018. Due to its violation, CPCB has penalised Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Rs 50.66 crore, Bisleri has to pay Rs 10.75 crores, PepsiCo India Holdings for Rs 8.7 crores and Patanjali has been asked for a fine of Rs 1 crore.
These companies have been granted a timeline of 15 days to pay the fine to CPCB as Environmental Compensation charges for the violation of Plastic Waste Management Rules.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a plan of action in which the producers take responsibility for the management and disposal of products after it's lifecycle ends.
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In the notice issued to Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages, it has been stated that as per the action plan submitted by the unit, the total plastic waste generation is 1.05 lakh tonnes per annum, but as per the Quarterly Progress Report for the period of August 2019 to September 2020, only 23,422 tonnes of plastic waste has been collected and disposed of.
While Bisleri has been fined for 21,500 tonnes of plastic waste, CPCB also said that the documents submitted as Quarterly Progress Report do not provide information for evidence-based assessment of the implementation of the action plan for fulfilment of EPR liability by the industry.
In the case of Patanjali, CPCB had issued letters to the company in February and in August but didn't receive any reply. Thereafter, the National Green Tribunal directed CPCB, in September, to take coercive action.
After a show-cause notice of CPCB on the closure of operations of the unit, Patanjali had sought time till the end of October 2020 to file all the necessary information and documents regarding the registration under plastic waste management rules.
"Whereas Patanjali Peya Pvt Ltd has not submitted the application under PWM rules, 2018 to CPCB so far," the letter added.
