E-commerce and retail firms are likely to get three months breather from the newly-enforced state-wide ban on plastics in Maharashtra. According to a report in the Economic Times, the state government has agreed to a plea from ecommerce companies for more time to comply with the new plastic ban rules. This year in March, the state had announced the ban on plastic materials and given three months time to dispose the existing stocks.
Earlier this month, e-commerce firms wrote to the Internet and Mobile Association of India seeking its help to appeal to the state government for an extension to be able to change their packaging to recyclable material. The state government is likely to grant an extension of up to 3 months to comply with the ban, according to IAMAI president Subho Ray.
The state-wide ban on plastic products came into effect from Saturday. The ban is expected to significantly hurt online retailers, delivery firms, and logistics platforms in terms of costs and delivery timelines with Mumbai and Pune accounting for 25-30 per cent of ecommerce orders nationally, the ET report said.
The state government's decision to ban the use of plastics has been welcomed by environmentalists, but some stakeholders feel that lakhs of people will be rendered jobless in the Rs 50,000 crore industry.
Commercial bodies such as All India Plastic Manufacturers Association, the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India had earlier said that the ban would have an adverse impact on the plastic industry, besides affecting the ancillary units.
After the ban, several companies that deal in retail, home delivery of food through apps and websites are feeling the pinch as single-use plastic carry bags are most conveniently used in delivering the products.
The ban is imposed to cut down the pollution caused by discarded plastic items. The state capital Mumbai faces flood like situation every monsoon due to drainage lines clogged with plastic and thermocol. State Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam recently said that 1,200 tonnes of plastic waste is generated in Maharashtra every day.
"Fish and other marine life is threatened by plastic. Plastic is found in nullahs. The city was flooded in the past due to plastic (which chokes nullahs). Plastic is also responsible for emission of sulphur gas, which is carcinogenic. If the next generation is to be saved, plastic has to be banned. Seventeen states have already banned it and we are the 18th," the minister said.
Anyone who violates the ban will have to pay hefty penalty. As per the government's notification, the fine for first-time and second-time offenders will be Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. A third violation will attract a fine of Rs 25,000 and a jail term for three months.