Green efforts fail to take off at trade fair

The Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), organisers of the India International Trade Fair (IITF), may make tall claims that the use of plastic bags is banned inside the venue and promote the event as an eco-friendly fair, but the ground reality is completely different.

The Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), organisers of the India International Trade Fair (IITF), may make tall claims that the use of plastic bags is banned inside the venue and promote the event as an eco-friendly fair, but the ground reality is completely different.

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On Day 2 of the two-week-long fair, many stalls, including a few international ones, were seen handing over goods to customers in plastic bags. In 2009, plastic bags were banned at Pragati Maidan, the venue of the trade fair, and it was made a no smoking zone. The Delhi government has also put a ban on the use of plastic bags in the Capital. The people are still unaware about the ban and feel that it is the duty of the organisers to discourage the use of plastic bags.

"The stall owner handed over goods in a plastic bag and we took it. I have no information about the ban on plastic bags," said Aahna Narang, a visitor.

"We know that plastic bags are not allowed. We'll arrange it soon but till then we have to handover products in plastic bags otherwise it will affect our sales," said an international stall owner requesting anonymity.

"It could be possible that some stalls are still handing over goods in plastic bags. We'll look into the matter and strict action would be taken against anyone violating the ban," said PC Sharma, general manager (publicity and law division), ITPO.