On January 1 this year, twenty-three-old S. Sridhar, who sells Puja items at Koyambedu Wholesale Market, expanded his business. In addition to Puja items, he is selling large-sized cloth bags, known as big shoppers, thereby tapping into the demand for these bags, created by the ban on single-use plastic items.

Priced at Rs 30 each, these cloth bag with wooden sticks for handles look quite capacious. There are many other traders at the Koyambedu market who have expanded their businesses in a similar manner.

“As many consumers are still not used to carrying cloth bags to the market, we are selling these bags," says Sridhar, whose

shop is located at the fruits block in the market.

Most of the shops at the market have entirely stopped using plastic bags. At a few shops, old stock of plastic bags lingers on.

The Koyambedu Wholesale Market Management Committee (KWMMC), the nodal agency that manages the market on behalf of CMDA, has been organising raids continually, and have searched more than 100 shops since January 1. Shop owners have been warned of cancellation of their licenses if they were found using plastic covers and bags.

“Once the Pongal festival ends, we will take stock of the situation on plastic waste generated at the market and will take necessary steps,” says a KWMMC official.