PIL seeks ban on plastic packaging in Gujarat

A PIL seeking a ban on plastic pouches used to pack gutkha, pan masala, milk and other eatable products came up for hearing in the high court on Thursday. The petitioner had sought the ban claiming that plastic contains a chemical, vinyl chloride, which can prove injurious to human health.

The HC asked the petitioner to verify whether Supreme Court had issued guidelines on a petition raising similar issues and whether the guidelines had been breached in the state. Next hearing of the petition has been fixed for next Thursday.

The PIL was filed by Prakash Kapadia, through his counsel Rashmin Jani. The petition claims that many products, such as gutkha, pan masala and milk, are packed in plastic pouches which had been sent for testing and analysis to the Central Institute of Plastic and Engineering and Technology (CIPET).