Supreme Court today asked the Attorney General to assist in the hearing of a petition seeking complete ban on plastic and evolution of a mechanism to collect all kinds of such material in the country.
"Not only animals but human beings are also suffering. The Attorney General (G E Vahanvati) will assist us," a bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya said.
The bench, which had earlier issued notices to the Centre and all states besides plastic manufacturers, today asked them (respondents) to file their replies within six weeks and fixed the matter for final disposal.
Earlier, the court had given NGO Karuna Society for Animals and Nature, one of the petitioners, the liberty to implead television channels and plastic manufacturers as parties.
The NGO, in the PIL, has sought total ban on the use of plastic of all kinds or evolution of an appropriate mechanism for collection of plastic of all forms in the country.
During earlier hearing, the bench had sought the response of the Centre for putting in place a proper mechanism for disposal of used plastic bags.
The NGO has sought a direction to government to ban the use of plastic alleging that these are not disposed properly and are eaten by animals and these get stuck in their stomach.
Observing that most of the lakes and urban drain systems are choking because of plastic bags, the bench had said that the issue raised is important to all human beings.
