The thin plastic bag you grab at your neighbourhood shop in Itanagar? It just became illegal.
The Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) dropped a firm order on Wednesday, August 12, putting an immediate ban on single-use plastic items and plastic carry bags below 120 microns across its entire jurisdiction. It is one of the most comprehensive plastic crackdowns the state capital has seen, and the civic body is making it clear this is not a suggestion — it is the law.
What Exactly Is Being Banned?
The list is longer than most people would expect. IMC Joint Commissioner Khoda Lasa issued the order directing commercial establishments, shops, supermarkets, hotels, eateries and street vendors to stop using a wide range of prohibited plastic products with immediate effect. The banned items cover plastic-stemmed earbuds, balloon sticks, plastic flags, candy and ice-cream sticks, thermocol decorations, plastic plates, cups, cutlery and straws. Wrapping films used around sweet boxes, invitation cards and cigarette packets also make the list, along with PVC banners below 100 microns and plastic stirrers. The manufacture, stocking, distribution, sale and transportation of carry bags below 120 microns and non-biodegradable packaging sachets have all been prohibited. Traders dealing in plastic packaging have been separately directed to comply with mandatory labelling requirements under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The Streets and Drains Are in the Crosshairs Too
The order goes beyond just banning the products — it takes a hard stance against how plastic waste ends up in the environment. The IMC has explicitly warned that no one is permitted to litter or improperly dispose of plastic waste in drains, public roads, parks, markets or water bodies within IMC limits. If you have spent any time walking through Itanagar’s market areas, you know exactly why this part of the order matters. Blocked drains and plastic-choked waterways have long been a quiet crisis in the city, and the civic body appears to have finally decided to put its foot down.
Enforcement Will Be Tough, Officials Say
The IMC is not planning to rely on good intentions alone. The corporation has announced that restrictions will be enforced through regular inspections, surprise checks and dedicated enforcement drives across its jurisdiction. Businesses that fail to switch to eco-friendly and biodegradable alternatives are going to find themselves on the wrong side of these surprise visits — and the consequences are expected to be serious.
What This Means for Residents and Traders
The ball is now in the court of every shopkeeper, vendor and resident in Itanagar. Cloth bags, paper bags and other sustainable options are the way forward. The IMC has appealed to the public and business community to cooperate with the initiative, framing it as a collective effort to keep the city clean and livable.
Plastic pollution has quietly become one of Northeast India’s most stubborn environmental problems. Itanagar’s move is a step that was long overdue — now the real test is whether enforcement will match the ambition of the order.
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