Highlighting the dangers posed by proliferation of plastic bottles, the Kerala High Court orally stated that plastic water bottles must be avoided at marriage functions across the State.
The court observed that small plastic water bottles were causing significant environmental damage and hastened to add that plastic materials must be avoided at all official functions. It has also been observed that tourists travelling in buses to locales such as Munnar often make pit stops en route to consume food, but they dump plastic bottles and plastic-coated waste along the roadside.
The court further referred to shortage of urinals at tourist locales and other public spaces and cited the example of highways in Australia, where small stainless steel urinal facilities are installed. These facilities use limited water and are cleaned and maintained regularly.
The court made these remarks while hearing a suo motu case that was initiated to consider matters related to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. A lawyer raised concerns about plastic waste that was being generated on Vande Bharat trains, particularly plastic water bottles. In response, the court sought a report from the Railways on scientific modes of disposal of plastic waste in its system.
Published – March 07, 2025 08:35 pm IST