On the eve of World Environment Day, Tapas, an NGO, organised a public awareness event to protest the inadequate and improper implementation of the ban on plastic bags in Delhi.

Senior journalist and writer Kuldeep Nayyar, former Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan and former captain of the Indian cricket team Bishan Singh Bedi were present at the event, organised at Jantar Mantar on Thursday.

Nayyar addressed the gathering and said a law prohibiting the use of plastic bags is not sufficient. “Every person going to the shops should start saying no to plastic bags. This will create public pressure on shopkeepers as well as the government,” he said.

He cited the example of Mahatma Gandhi to encourage people to use natural substances. “Gandhiji said the more humans work with nature, the more self sustaining they will be,” he said.

Nayyar said people’s perception on the issue has to change. “We must understand that destroying nature is destroying ourselves,” he said.

Quoting the Guru Granth Sahib, Bishan Singh Bedi said that after a point everything goes back to nature except plastic, which does not get destroyed but destroys other things in its vicinity.

“No effort is enough. Issues like these need to be pursued constantly. Tomorrow, the world will celebrate World Environment Day and what do we have here? These plastic bags,” Bedi said pointing at two huge heaps of plastic bags kept on the side of the dais.

Professor Vikram Soni, a senior scientist at IIT-Delhi, who was also present at the event, said we need to leave natural resources and a sustainable environment for the coming generations.