THE FANFARE with which the ban on plastics was launched across the State, more particularly in Jammu, seems to be fading away with the festivity of Diwali taking over the scenario. Tall claims and violation of norms is the ultimate fate of most of the drives carried out by the Municipal Corporation in the city.

 

With much publicity, ban on use of plastic bags was imposed in the city. Special drives were organized, circulars circulated and notices served but the outcome appears to be zero as plastic continues to make entry into every home, several times a day, with packs of grocery and other utility items.

 

With Diwali on, shoppers need not carry shopping bags with them, as despite ban, this festive season is again witnessing the return of polythene in the city. Besides big showrooms, most of the shopkeepers see-off their customers with   good trendy polythene bags. The shoppers can be seen leaving business establishments with their shopping material packed in coloured polythene bags. It is not the scene at one or the other shop, most of the establishments, except a negligible number of showrooms and big shops are making use of polyphone in a big way.

 

For traders, switching over to eco-friendly bags in a short period is not that easy as these are costlier than the plastic ones. This has perhaps been the reason that the legitimate instructions of the law enforcing agencies are being ignored by the shoppers and the shopkeepers.

 

“Yes, we need to do some extra work. During the onging festive season, we have been desperately watching use of polythene bags in a big way but taking harsh measures at this point of time may not be prudent" admitted an official of the Municipal Corporation, on the condition of anonymity.

 

“In most of the shops in the old city, unhesitant use of polythene is at galore; go to any shop and you will be provided with polythene bags. I recently went to a renowned shoe shop in Purani Mandi and bought a pair of shoes which was packed it in a plastic bag, when I insisted for some other packing material, they expressed their inability and even treated me harshly’, says Samita Dogra, a resident of old city.

 

 “Almost same is the scenario when one visits a cracker shop, a utensil shop, a cloth house”, she adds

 

Manufacturing plastic bags are a big industrial activity in Jammu and about 50 units are producing plastic material of about 50-tons a day. This is far less than the requirement in the region and the remaining shortages are being met by imports from the neighboring states. This cannot be done without the official connivance at some levels and poor enforcement of the measures being taken to stop this malady. The traders, dealing with plastic material, admit privately that they have to keep everybody happy for continuing this business though clandestinely.  

 

“Unless provided incentives, how can we disband this activity overnight and switch over to another activity. We need some expertise for manufacturing cost effective alternatives to plastics and the Government cannot abdicate its responsibility in this regard. The paper bags are quite costly. If we go for local hand made bags, the stuff is not good.   If a person is purchasing some heavy thing, then good paper bags are required to carry those, which are very costly," says Pawan Kumar, a trader at Panjthirthi.