Besides, the Corporation authorities seized 293 kg banned plastics after conducting raids in 178 shops in Thoothukudi on Thursday.
Officials of Food Safety Department seize plastic bags from a Big Bazaar outlet in T Nagar and Corporation
Chennai:
Some hotel owners knowingly use the non-woven polypropylene bags claiming that they do not have any ‘affordable’ alternative.
A hotel owner on Poonamallee High Road in Park Town confided that he could recognise that the non-woven polypropylene bags is a banned item, but he has to give such bags to his customers and said, “Other alternative products could not bear the weight of the products.”
When contacted, a Greater Chennai Corporation official said that they are also unclear about the types of plastics items that are banned by the government.
Even though the plastic spoons are ‘use and throw’ type, it is not in the list of 14 products, which are banned by the government, officials could not seize plastic spoons as some shopkeepers refuse to hand it over citing the list.
At the same time, customers are unaware of the non-woven polypropylene bags. Ironically, a customer who was taking parcel food from the hotel in Poonamallee High Road said that he was carrying a cloth bag.
“Even the government order also has words like etcetera while listing the banned products. Officials from pollution control board are unclear about the ambiguous order. The government may release another order with more clarity,” the Chennai Corporation official said.
Meanwhile, the civic body collected as many as 21.67 tonnes of banned plastic items in four days.
“On Thursday, 9.19 tonnes of plastic items were seized from 15 Zones. Of the 9.19 tonnes, nearly 3.24 tonnes of plastic was seized from Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Zone, including 2 tonnes from a private shopping mall in Perambur,” a civic official said.
Hoteliers and customers continue to use non-woven polypropylene bags as an alternative to plastic carry bags even though they are among the banned plastic items.
“We are using the non-woven polypropylene bags as they look like cloth bags. We do not know anything about the material used to make the bags,” a shop owner in Choolaimedu said.
Some hotel owners knowingly use the non-woven polypropylene bags claiming that they do not have any ‘affordable’ alternative.
A hotel owner on Poonamallee High Road in Park Town confided that he could recognise that the non-woven polypropylene bags is a banned item, but he has to give such bags to his customers and said, “Other alternative products could not bear the weight of the products.”
When contacted, a Greater Chennai Corporation official said that they are also unclear about the types of plastics items that are banned by the government.
Even though the plastic spoons are ‘use and throw’ type, it is not in the list of 14 products, which are banned by the government, officials could not seize plastic spoons as some shopkeepers refuse to hand it over citing the list.
At the same time, customers are unaware of the non-woven polypropylene bags. Ironically, a customer who was taking parcel food from the hotel in Poonamallee High Road said that he was carrying a cloth bag.
“Even the government order also has words like etcetera while listing the banned products. Officials from pollution control board are unclear about the ambiguous order. The government may release another order with more clarity,” the Chennai Corporation official said.
Meanwhile, the civic body collected as many as 21.67 tonnes of banned plastic items in four days.
“On Thursday, 9.19 tonnes of plastic items were seized from 15 Zones. Of the 9.19 tonnes, nearly 3.24 tonnes of plastic was seized from Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Zone, including 2 tonnes from a private shopping mall in Perambur,” a civic official said.
800 students participate in rally
As many as 800 students and 50 teaching staff of government Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) participated in a plastic awareness rally on Thursday. According to a Chennai Corporation press release, the rally was flagged off from the government ITI in Ambattur.
“The students were holding placards explaining the effects of plastic and its alternatives. The rally started on CTH Road before ending at Ambattur Industrial Estate bus stand,” a release said. As a part of the awareness rally, alternatives to plastics were on display to create awareness among students. “The students who participated in the rally carried eco-friendly alternatives. Awareness pamphlets were also distributed,” T G Srinivasan, health education officer, Chennai Corporation, said.
Plastic manufacturers demand loan waiver
Tiruchy and Pudukottai District Plastic Manufacturers and Traders Association demanded the government to revoke the ban or waive off their loans claiming that 11 lakh people lost employment across the state due to the ban.
The association president T Muthumanickam said, “In Tiruchy and Pudukkottai, 180 units were shut in the past couple of months.” Since many of these units had obtained loans, the State government should initiate steps to waive the loans without any condition, he added.
Meanwhile, condemning the State government’s ban on plastics, traders of Thoothukudi staged a demonstration in front of District Integrated Court complex on Palayamkottai Road on Thursday. The agitation, which was led by T Vellaiyan, State president, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peravai, saw traders raising slogans against the plastic ban.
The agitators also set fire to some plastic covers to mark their protest. Vellaiyan said the burnt covers were used by multinational companies for their products and the government is only targeting only local manufacturers.
Besides, the Corporation authorities seized 293 kg banned plastics after conducting raids in 178 shops in Thoothukudi on Thursday. Traders expressing solidarity against the plastic ban downed shutters in parts of Kovilpatti town, sources said.