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Ban no deterrent as use of plastic carry bags goes on unabated in Ludhiana
Nod given to ban single-use plastic during the general House meeting of the MC, which has been struggling to prohibit usage of carry bags since 2016
While the Ludhiana civic body has failed to enforce a complete ban on plastic carry bags in the last five years, the general House of municipal corporation (MC) approved another resolution to ban single-use plastic during the meeting that was on Wednesday held at Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan.
The move has come at a time when the civic body is struggling to impose a blanket ban on plastic carry bags, which was introduced by the state government in April 2016, and the use and trade of plastic carry bags is going on unabated.
Despite tall claims that continuous drives are being conducted to ensure compliance with the order regarding trade and use of carry bags, no visible change can be seen at the ground level as carry bags are being used by shopkeepers, street vendors and residents.
One of the MC officials, who wished to remain anonymous, said even as the matter has been highlighted during the MC House meetings in the past too, the civic body has been facing problems in enforcing the ban on plastic carry bags due to “political interference”.
Plastic carry bags are sold by traders in different areas of the city, including Kesar Ganj Mandi, Field Ganj, Giaspura, and Jawahar Nagar camp area among others, and the officials are also aware of the same, he added.
“The drives are organised only when pressure is mounted by the local bodies department and this time too, the resolution has been approved to ban single-use plastic just to complete a formality under the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge. The focus will be on banning the use of plastic carry bags only, while the authorities are finalising a list of other items to be banned,” the official claimed.
Meanwhile, the authorities said that a complete ban on the use of plastic carry bags will be imposed this time and use of other items such as disposable spoons and straws will also be prohibited in a phased manner.
The matter was also raised during the general House meeting with councillors and mayor Balkar Sandhu highlighting the need to ban the carry bags as apart from polluting the environment, such carry bags also tend to choke the sewer lines if disposed irresponsibly.
The mayor said, “A separate team of officials will soon be formed only to enforce the ban on plastic carry bags and the councillors have assured their cooperation during the general House meeting. We need to deal with solid waste and this step will help us in tackling the garbage situation in the city on a daily basis. Hefty challans will also be levied on the violators as per the norms.”
6,226 penalised since July 2019: MC
Ashwani Sahota, nodal officer for MC’s health branch, said the civic body has issued 6,226 challans against the trade and use of plastic carry bags since July 2019.
“While 6,157 kg of carry bags have been confiscated, fine of 10.9 lakh has been slapped on the violators,” he added.
Sahota said that regular drives are being conducted to impose the ban and over 100 challans have been issued in the month of July this year.
Ban not a solution, management is: Industry
Expressing disapproval at the decision taken by the MC to ban single-use plastic, the representatives of plastic industry stated that the move will “destroy their business” which is already reeling under losses amid the Covid pandemic.
They urged the civic body to work on solid waste management rather than clamping a complete ban on plastic bags without providing an alternative in the market.
The general secretary of Kesar Ganj Plastic Merchant Association, Puneet Makhija, said that most of the traders in the city are now dealing in packaging material and carry bags are being supplied from other states.
“It is not possible to ban plastic bags as there is no other alternative. The government should work on managing the solid waste and the industry will help the authorities in the same. Efforts should be made to recycle the waste. At least the state government should allow plastic carry bags having width above 50 micron on the lines of the central government. We are ready to install dustbins in the city, but the government is adamant to ban the plastic,” said Makhija.
Similarly, president of Plastic Manufacturers and Traders Association, Punjab, Gurdeep Singh Batra said that there are 1,600 manufacturers and traders dealing with plastic carry bags and lakhs of workers are engaged in the sector.
“Despite repeated requests, the government is determined to ban the carry bags without providing an alternative. How will a shopkeeper or street vendor sell the items without carry bags? The government does not have any answer to this question. We will again approach the civic body and the government to reconsider the decision, otherwise the sector will be destroyed and residents will also face inconvenience,” he added.
