Small vendors facing heat of plastic ban
Customers reluctant to buy from vendors who are not packing fruits in polythene bags
LUCKNOW : With the district administration enforcing the plastic ban, vendors in the unorganised markets have started feeling the heat as they can’t afford the alternatives to cheap polythene bags.
“At least five people have turned away from my cart because I didn’t have plastic bags,” said Mohan Singh, a fruit vendor.
Standing beside him, another vendor, Dinesh Kumar also lamented drop in sales. “I have kept paper bags to pack the mangoes. As this fruit is very fragile, people move ahead looking for vendors who have polythene bags.”
The vendors in the unorganised markets are not keen on purchasing jute or cloth bags because of the cost factor.
Polybags have become a ‘vanishing commodity’ after the ban on plastic bags (below 50 microns) in the state from July 15. The ban is being enforced with a fresh ordinance, approved by the governor, which has the provision to punish offenders with jail term.
In phase 1, ban on plastic items (mainly carry bags) less than 50 microns is being enforced. Raids are being conducted by teams of district administration and pollution control board with support of local police in all the eight zones of the state capital.
On Wednesday, officials seized two quintal polythene bags and Rs 5,500 was realized as fine from offenders.
In phase 2, the officials would include single-use plastic cutlery (like plastic plates, cups, spoons, thermocol plates etc) in the ban.
Eventually, all single-use plastic products (like packaging, decoration material etc) would be banned from October 2.
The message to strictly enforce the ban was reiterated in a meeting held by the district magistrate on Wednesday. He asked officials from revenue department, LMC, food and drugs department and excise department to implement the ban in their respective jurisdiction.
Officials concerned are also focusing on making people aware about the ill-effects of plastic. “People must understand why we are imposing this ban. Once they understand this, we hope they will also support us in the drive,” said Ram Karan, regional officer (RO), pollution control board.
Unlike vendors, people have come out in support of the antipolythene campaign.
However, the ban has caused furore among people engaged in the sale and manufacture of plastic products.
“The ban will destroy small businesses. Our sales have dipped considerably because small traders are not buying our products,” said Puneet Bansal, owner of a plant that manufactures disposable glasses.
Bansal and other manufacturers plan to approach the government with an appeal to give them some more time before imposing total ban on plastic.