Farmers Movement Archive

Polythene bags make a comeback in markets

Tribune News ServiceJalandhar, July 27Sale and purchase of polythene bags has been going on unabated in the district. While some people resorted to selling fruits and vegetable after losing their jobs to Covid-19 pandemic, many of them are selling polythene bags to sustain themselves.Several new vendors could be seen selling polybags at the mandis. The state government had banned the sale and use of plastic bags in April 2016. As per the government notification, non-bio degradable plastic carry bags or containers, including items made of thermocol, have been banned under Section 7 of the Punjab Plastic Carry Bag Act. However, for the past many months, drive to curb the use of plastic bags lost momentum.Last year, challans were also issued to the residents as well as the traders under the “Clear and Green Campaign” and “Tandrust Punjab Mission”. The aim of these drives was to encourage residents to switch from plastic to cotton bags.Traders were even warned that their licenses might be cancelled if they continued using plastic bags. Plastic had been completely banned in the city and the sale of only compostable polybags, cotton bags and good quality plastic, above 50 micron, was encouraged, but, despite stringent rules and regulations on the manufacturing as well as stocking of polythene, there seems to be no monitoring at present. Vendors at the Maqsudan mandi sell polythene bags at different rates. A small sized poly bag packet costs around Rs 30-50, medium sized is priced around Rs 50-70 and the large packet costs above Rs 100.“Plastic-free Jalandhar requires a much more radical approach than a ban. Even customers don’t object to the use of polythene bags and have a careless attitude without thinking about its ramifications in the long run,” said, Amanjot Singh, a social worker.“Customers don’t bring their own bags and ask us for polythene bags. If we stop providing them polythene, our business suffers,” a vegetable seller said.Bharat Juneja, an arthiya, said, heaps of garbage in the mandi have highlighted the menace as a large number of non-biodegradable plastic bags could be seen dumped in the city. “Common people have no option but to use these bags as vendors charge them extra for good quality bags,” he added.Meanwhile, Municipal Corporation (MC) Health Official Sri Krishan said, the checking on the sale of plastic bags was put on hold due to Covid, but an MC team would shortly visit the vegetable market to take cognisance of the matter.Authorities don’t seem to care about violationsVendors at the Maqsudan mandi sell polythene bags at different rates. A packet of small-sized polybags costs around Rs 30-50, of medium-sized one around Rs 50-70 and of large polybags costs above Rs 100

The Tribune

2020-07-28