By Dipak Kurmi
The Assam Police’s decision to issue a road safety advisory ahead of the picnic season deserves recognition, not merely as a routine administrative gesture but as a timely intervention in a period marked by heightened risk on the state’s roads. Winter picnics are deeply woven into Assam’s social life, drawing families, friends and communities to riversides, wetlands and forest fringes to celebrate leisure and togetherness. However, this seasonal tradition also coincides with foggy weather, increased vehicular movement and relaxed attitudes towards safety, all of which contribute to a rise in road accidents. In that sense, the advisory addresses a real and recurring problem. Yet, for such guidance to achieve its intended impact, it must extend beyond traffic rules alone and engage with another equally pressing issue that shadows the picnic season in Assam: the growing environmental damage caused by irresponsible waste disposal at picnic sites.
Most picnic spots in the state are located amid ecologically sensitive landscapes, often along riverbanks, wetlands, forest clearings and grasslands that provide vital ecosystem services. These natural spaces are not merely recreational backdrops but lifelines for nearby communities that depend on them for agriculture, fishing, livestock rearing, irrigation and access to clean water. When picnic groups flock to these areas, they bring with them food, packaging and supplies that, if not managed responsibly, leave lasting scars on the environment. While neighbourhood committees at some popular picnic sites attempt to enforce basic cleanliness norms, many sites located away from human settlements remain vulnerable to reckless behaviour. It is common to find plastic waste strewn across these areas long after visitors have left, transforming places of natural beauty into dumping grounds.
Plastic pollution at picnic sites has emerged as a serious environmental concern that cannot be addressed through advisories or awareness campaigns alone. Water bodies contaminated with plastic waste suffer long-term ecological damage, affecting aquatic life, soil quality and water purity. Single-use plastics such as water bottles, polythene carry bags of prohibited thickness, and thermocol or styrofoam plates and cups are the primary culprits. These materials do not decompose easily and often end up floating in rivers or settling at the bottom of wetlands, disrupting ecosystems that local populations rely upon for their livelihoods. The festive enjoyment of a few hours thus translates into enduring hardship for communities that live alongside these natural resources year-round.
The continued circulation and use of single-use plastics point to a deeper failure that extends beyond individual behaviour. Nearly three years and six months have passed since the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules of 2022 came into force, prohibiting the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items with low utility and high littering potential. Despite this, banned plastic items remain widely available in markets across Assam, from Guwahati and other urban centres to small towns and villages. Enforcement has largely been reduced to sporadic inspections and symbolic seizures that do little to curb supply or demand. As long as prohibited plastic carry bags and disposable items remain easily accessible, picnic groups will continue to use them out of convenience rather than necessity.
The responsibility for this situation cannot be placed solely on citizens. Administrative agencies have a crucial role to play in ensuring that existing laws are enforced rigorously and consistently. Stepping up inspection drives and seizing banned single-use plastic items at marketplaces could significantly reduce plastic pollution at picnic sites. If plastic carry bags of prohibited thickness were genuinely unavailable, picnic groups would be compelled to seek alternatives for transporting vegetables, meat, fish and other food items. Behavioural change often follows structural change, and restricting supply can be as effective as raising awareness in altering consumption patterns.
The Assam government has already exercised its authority under the Environment Protection Act of 1986 to prohibit the use of plastic water bottles below 1000 ml capacity. While this measure addresses one aspect of plastic waste, it also places a greater onus on people to ensure that even permitted plastic bottles are not discarded irresponsibly. Whether in urban neighbourhoods, rural areas or picnic sites, dumping plastic waste into water bodies has consequences that extend far beyond individual actions. Rivers and wetlands do not recognise administrative boundaries, and pollution in one location can affect ecosystems and communities downstream.
Finding alternatives to plastic use during picnics is neither difficult nor impractical. Older generations in Assam can readily recall a time when picnics were organised without plastic carry bags or disposable plates. Food was transported in cloth bags, baskets or metal containers, and meals were served on plantain leaves that were biodegradable and culturally familiar. Reviving such practices not only reduces environmental harm but also reconnects communities with sustainable traditions. The use of eco-friendly alternatives like cloth bags and plantain leaves can serve as a powerful educational tool, especially for children, demonstrating that convenience need not come at the cost of ecological destruction.
There is also an opportunity for greater institutional coordination in addressing these interconnected challenges. Agencies such as the Assam Pollution Control Board, the Forest Department and the office of the Commissioner of Food Safety can collaborate with the Assam Police to issue a comprehensive advisory ahead of the picnic season. A combined message on road safety and plastic pollution would reflect the reality that environmental protection and public safety are deeply intertwined. Such an approach could significantly enhance the reach and impact of awareness campaigns, ensuring that messages are not fragmented across departments but presented as part of a shared responsibility towards public welfare and environmental conservation.
Empowering local communities is another essential component of any effective strategy. Residents living near picnic sites are often the first to witness environmental degradation and suffer its consequences. Enabling them to monitor, report and discourage littering can create a sense of shared stewardship over natural resources. Community vigilance, supported by clear notifications of prohibited activities and responsive administrative action, can deter irresponsible behaviour more effectively than distant enforcement mechanisms. However, community empowerment must be backed by genuine administrative support, including timely clean-up operations and penalties for violations.
Ultimately, advisories and notifications can only succeed when people are willing to embrace behavioural change. The persistent circulation of banned plastic items reflects sustained consumer demand, which in turn signals a lack of collective commitment to environmental responsibility. Picnic season, with its heightened visibility and public participation, offers a valuable opportunity to challenge these habits. By linking road safety with environmental awareness, the state can address two pressing seasonal risks simultaneously. Safer roads and cleaner picnic sites are not separate goals but complementary outcomes of a society that values responsibility over convenience.
As Assam enters another picnic season, the challenge lies not in issuing advisories but in ensuring that they translate into action. Protecting fragile ecosystems while safeguarding human lives requires coordinated enforcement, community participation and a willingness to revive sustainable practices rooted in local tradition. This moment must not be reduced to a missed opportunity. Instead, it should serve as a reminder that enjoyment of nature carries with it an obligation to preserve it, so that future generations can inherit landscapes defined not by plastic waste and accident statistics, but by safety, sustainability and shared care for the commons.
(the writer can be reached at dipakkurmiglpltd@gmail.com)
