SEVEN PLASTIC TRADERS SLAPPED `48,000 FINE

Seven plastic traders have been fined `48,000 as they were distributing plastic of less than 50 microns for their products. The plastic was being used for sweets, food products and other regular day-today requirements. Traders have also been booked for distributing garbage bags, plastic plates, cups and other disposables.

The deputy municipal commissioner of Hayatnagar has fined them in the anti-plastic drive carried out in their circle. The traders have been regularly supplying to weekly markets and have been told that plastic of less than 50 microns must not be distributed any more.

Mr Manohar P, a trader who was fined, said, “What are we to do with our stocks? There is stock which can last for three months. Before declaring that single-use plastic is banned, they should have at least created awareness and given us some time. The government has not done any such thing.”

The central government had declared the ban in August but the demand for the plastic products is very high and traders have stocked according to the demand. The action now being taken by the government has put traders and manufacturers on the back foot. They now have surplus stock with them and have to switch to an alternative.

The manufacturing units too in Balanagar, Jeedimetla are in a dilemma as they have to change the manufacturing process to shift to the alternative. The less than 50 micron units are also home-based manufacturing in small sections where the machines have been installed.

These will now have to be shut down as the environmental hazard of plastic waste is a major challenge.