Guntur’s plastic challenge: Ban on single-use items, but used water bottles pile up in drains

The Guntur Municipal Corporation’s (GMC) intensified enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics marks an important step towards protecting public health and the environment, but a look at the city’s roadside drains points to another pressing aspect of plastic management — the improper disposal of used water bottles and other plastic waste.

The GMC has initiated measures to enforce the ban on prohibited single-use plastic items, with public health officials and sanitary inspectors conducting field-level monitoring and imposing fines through the ‘Swachh App’. The civic body has also undertaken awareness campaigns over the past month, distributing pamphlets through ward secretariats and using publicity material to educate shopkeepers, traders and citizens about the restrictions.