Poly ban bid gets timid response

Be it shopkeepers or customers, none of them seems to be in a mood to switch off from hazardous polythene to biodegradable stuffs – jute bags, paper bags despite knowing about their harmful consequences on environment.

The recent initiatives of State government to create awareness while implementing the guidelines on polythene ban more effectively, have fallen on deaf ears of one and all.

Also, regardless of adopting several stringent measures to ban polythene within the municipal periphery, the municipal corporation enforcement cell officials opined that some more time will be required to completely prohibit the poly bags. 

“Attempts are being made to ban polythene use completely by executing the rules more sternly and through a series of programmes. Through raids and awareness rallies, the civic body officials are trying their best to nab the defaulters but small vendors here are the ones who are yet to get rid of polythene use. Strategies are being made to make vendors abide by the rules,” said RMC City Manager (Sanitation Cell), Sandeep Kumar.

Moreover, according to the resource persons engaged in the task of creating awareness on discarding polythene, the demand and supply gap chain is posing a major hurdle, hence public too are not taking the initiatives of the government too seriously.

“Due to easy availability and supply of polythene in markets since long, supply of jute bags or any other bio-degradable stuff at present could not meet the requirements of both public and sellers. Constant brainstorming is being done on this,” Kumar further added. As per RMC records, more than Rs. 50,000 has been collected so far by the enforcement cell team but no serious impact of it can be seen.

Elaborating on the measures which will be taken by the Municipal Corporation in the days to come and encourage public to adopt ‘green’ ways, Kumar said, “RMC on World Environment Day will distribute 53,000 jute bags to promote their use among public. Talks with different Self Help Groups (SHGs) are going on so that the existing demand and supply gap can be filled.” Deputy Mayor, Sanjiv Vijayawargia on June 1 had written to Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Urban Development, Housing and Planning, Arun Kumar Singh, to make alternate arrangements so that polythene ban could be made effective.

Recently, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) had invited ‘Selfies’ of public using biodegradable bags in market places but the initiative proved futile as, according to the officials, the response of public so far regarding this innovative drive has been timid.