Title - Bring back Central Railways ban on plastic bags'

MUMBAI: NGO Rail Parishad has moved the Bombay high court seeking a ban on plastic bags at all railway stations. has been filed in the Bombay high court.

The organization Rail Parishad, an NGO, has questioned the decision of the general manager of Central Railways to revoke an earlier ban on plastic bags.

A circular imposing a ban on all plastic bags and food items wrapped in plastic was issued to all railway stall owners on May 21 by CR general manager Subodh Jain. The decision was reportedly taken due to choking of drains near railway stations and tracks during the rains, in turn affecting the smooth running of trains. However, the ban was revoked within 40 days due to pressure from activists, who claimed it would render vendors jobless.

The petitioner claimed Jain himself stated that around five lakh plastic bags were sold at 200 stalls on the CR network and of these, nearly 50% were discarded on railway tracks, compartments and on station premises.

The petitioner said that plastic bags which are dumped at stations and choke the drains, also pose a threat to the environment. The PIL is likely to come up for hearing next week.