Court pats govt for directory of SUP firms

CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court lauded the State government for releasing a directory containing the details of manufacturers and distributors of single-use plastics (SUP) in the State.

Noting that the directory was the first-of-its-kind in the country, the bench comprising Justice S Vaidyanathan and Justice PT Asha said the people who conceptualised it deserved accolades. “This directory would not only help the retailers, but would also help the domestic purchasers since we are informed the directory is available online,” the judges added.

Appreciating the State government, the judges noted that a perusal of the Directory of Manufacturers and Suppliers of Eco-Alternative Materials for Single-Use Plastics in Tamil Nadu showed that it contained not only the various eco-friendly alternative materials that could be used instead of single-use plastics, but also gave details of the manufacturers/retailers in each district of the State.

The bench also directed the Registry to issue notice to all advocates’ associations of HC to ensure that one office-bearer each was present during the next hearing to ensure that the court premise is a plastic-free zone. It then asked the Bar Council to submit a report to ensure that the enrolment ceremony is conducted with only the candidates to prevent littering.

The court made these observations while hearing a petition filed by Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Plastic Manufacturers’ Association, which sought a direction to quash the blanket ban that the government imposed on single-use plastics.

During the hearing, the government submitted that the ‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme was introduced to eliminate plastic bags. “Intensive steps have been initiated for bringing awareness about SUP among the general public,” it added. The matter has been adjourned to November 1.