Is the plastic ban working in the city?

The use of plastic bags was banned by the Bihar government in October last year. The step was taken to curb pollution and make a Patna a cleaner city. And to implement the ban strictly, Patna Municipal Corporation imposed a penalty from December. In rural areas, plastic bags were banned from January 14. It was decided that those who used plastic bags for household purposes were to pay a penalty between `100 and `500, while those who littered public places and parks would be fined somewhere between `1,000 and `5,000. PT decided to do a reality check... Big traders follow the norm
The past few months have seen considerable changes. The shopkeepers selling clothes started packing merchandise in cloth bags instead of plastic bags. Alok Jha, secretary, State Pollution Control Board, said, “The government has banned plastics to reduce pollution and we all welcome thes decision. Our department has formed a flying squad to check if people are still using plastic bags. We have seized such bags from manufacturing companies and banned new arrivals. Fines will be imposed as per norms. We are providing paper bags or cloth bags as replacement.”
Vegetable vendors still use polythene
However, not everybody follows the rules. You can still see people buying veggies and fruits and carrying them home in plastic bags. They even ask these vendors for plastic bags. Shiv Naresh, a vegetable vendor at Phulwari Sharif, said, “We have to keep plastics bags because some customers refuse to take vegetables if we don’t provide them with bags. They buy from those vendors who provide them polythene bags. Therefore, we have no choice but to sell our stuff in plastic bags.”
Small food outlets pack food in plastic bags
Small dhaba owners and street food outlets also use plastic bags, as they don’t have any other alternative as of now. Sunny Raj, a dhaba owner on Bypass Road, said, “Most of our customers get their food packed from our place. If we provide these packed foods in paper bags, the containers may leak. Customers also find it difficult to carry food in paper bags. So, we use polythene bags from our old stock. When it gets over, I have to think of some other way.”
People have plastic bags in stock
Not just shopkeepers, common people use plastic bags freely as they already have a huge stock at home. They still use them whenever required. Parmila Devi, a homemaker and a resident of Khagaul, said, “Nobody has stopped me from using plastic bags till now. I have many bags at my home and I carry them whenever I go shopping.”
Strict norms required
Zoo authorities have also banned the use of non-compostable plastics that are below 50 microns in thickness. The ban is on all products, including plastic bottles as well as containers. Pallavi Yadav, a lecturer, said, “My seven-year-old son, Kabir, loves animals. So, I take him to the zoo once a month. I’ve seen the notice that plastic has been banned. But no one cares. I often see people carrying chips and biscuits packets or plastic water bottles. They throw them here and there if zoo guards are not around. To implement the ban successfully, we need stricter norms and authorities should be more vigilant.”