With Sikkim’s decades-old plastic bans and new initiatives in Meghalaya, the Northeast is emerging as a national leader in combining regulation, community action, and sustainable tourism to curb plastic pollution.
BY Navin Upadhyay
December 14, 2025 — Meghalaya’s decision to introduce a refundable ‘Green Deposit’ at high-footfall eco-tourism sites is more than a waste-management experiment. It signals a growing environmental awakening across Northeast India—one that recognises plastic pollution not as a cosmetic problem, but as an existential threat to some of the country’s most fragile ecosystems.
Under the new scheme, tourists entering notified areas such as Cherrapunjee (Sohra), Dawki, and the Living Root Bridges must pay a ₹100 deposit if they carry plastic bottles, wrappers, or bags. The amount is refunded upon proper disposal at exit points. By attaching a tangible cost to irresponsible behaviour, Meghalaya is nudging visitors to rethink their habits without discouraging tourism—a delicate balance in a region where livelihoods and landscapes are deeply intertwined.
The initiative builds on the state’s enforcement of single-use plastic bans, particularly on items thinner than 120 microns, as mandated by the Meghalaya High Court. Crucially, it also places local communities and tourism stakeholders at the centre of enforcement, reinforcing the idea that conservation cannot be outsourced to regulation alone.
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Meghalaya’s move reflects a broader regional momentum. Across the eight northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura—governments and communities are grappling with the plastic menace through a mix of bans, behavioural interventions, and grassroots action, aligned with the Plastic Waste Management Rules.
Sikkim remains the region’s—and the nation’s—trailblazer. Its ban on plastic carry bags dates back to 1998, prompted by landslides caused by clogged drains. Over the years, the state has extended restrictions to Styrofoam products, bottled water in ecologically sensitive zones, and even firecrackers. Community-driven campaigns like “Mero Gaon, Mero Swachh Gaon” and eco-tourism norms mandating waste segregation have turned conservation into a shared civic duty, reinforced through school-led nature camps and river-cleaning drives.
Meghalaya launches the Green Deposit Scheme to curb plastic pollution in #ecotourism hotspots
A refundable ₹100 deposit encourages visitors to return plastic waste and follow a “leave no trace” approach
🔗 https://t.co/RJF9JUf2UG@MeghalayaGov #CleanHillCities #Meghalaya pic.twitter.com/UlPVIaDmpH
— PIB In Meghalaya (@PIBShillong) December 14, 2025
Elsewhere, Mizoram’s Aizawl Municipal Corporation introduced waste-management by-laws in 2019, while Tripura constituted a state-level task force backed by municipal regulations to phase out single-use plastics. Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur maintain bans on plastic carry bags, though enforcement remains uneven in remote and mountainous areas. Assam and Manipur have focused on protecting wetlands such as Deepor Beel and Loktak Lake, where plastic waste threatens aquatic life and migratory birds. Regional initiatives like the Himalayan Cleanup have further underscored the power of collective action, removing tonnes of waste from forests and river systems.
Yet the challenge is formidable. The Northeast is a biodiversity hotspot, home to rainforests, the Brahmaputra river system, and numerous endangered species. A surge in tourism—whether at Meghalaya’s root bridges or Assam’s Kaziranga National Park—has intensified littering, while microplastics seep into soil and water. Weak recycling infrastructure, informal waste burning, and cross-border waste flows complicate solutions. Despite national bans on identified single-use plastics since 2022, gaps persist, particularly in rural and hilly terrain where sustainable alternatives are not always easily available.
Against this backdrop, community-led innovation offers hope. NGOs such as the Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) and WWF-India are driving zero-waste models, while Meghalaya has involved schools, local entrepreneurs, and informal waste collectors in setting up collection and segregation systems. Bamboo—plentiful across the region—is emerging as a viable alternative for bottles, cutlery, and packaging, linking environmental sustainability with local livelihoods. Increasingly, eco-tourism revenues are being channelled into conservation efforts, funding clean-ups, habitat restoration, and anti-poaching measures.
As India moves toward stricter plastic regulations in 2025, the Northeast’s evolving strategies offer valuable lessons. Meghalaya’s Green Deposit scheme demonstrates that smart incentives can reshape behaviour without alienating tourists. But lasting success will depend on stronger enforcement, investment in recycling infrastructure, and deeper coordination across states.
Ultimately, the region’s fight against plastic pollution is not merely about cleanliness—it is about safeguarding cultural landscapes, ecological heritage, and future livelihoods. By blending policy innovation with people power, Northeast India is beginning to chart a credible path toward plastic-free hills, rivers, and forests—setting an example the rest of the country would do well to follow.
