The ubiquitous two-digit micron plastic covers that were a staple of the urban and rural landscape was meant to be phased out by January 2019, when the State government enforced its ban on single-use plastics. The ban, hailed as a necessary and timely intervention, saw crackdown on the sale and the supply of single-use plastic bags and forced compliance of customers.
Four months down, the ban slowly fizzled out largely during the election season, with the administrative machinery galvanised to monitor the model code and conduct of elections.
Today, roadside hawkers, petty shop retailers and consumers are little mindful of the carefully enforced ban, raising concerns among the ecologically sensitive consumers. “Hawkers hide the plastic covers. When consumers ask for bags, they take it out. People, too, must share responsibility, but they don’t. I always carry several bags in my scooter,” says G. Venkata Ramanan, Rotarian, and chairperson of Rotary Club’s “No Plastics” theme in Kaveripattinam here.
In January, in the wake of the ban, the sudden raids in shops and retail outlets froze the supply and the demand chain for plastic bags.
Soon, the part nylon bags too went out of supply as retail stores insisted that the customers bring in their own bags. However, the rigour of the ban is nowhere to be seen.
A ban that was steadily in place, however was derailed with the announcement of elections. Ban on single-use plastics relied heavily on round-the-clock monitoring and raids and accompanying penalties on retailers and manufacturers. However, with the announcement of the elections, its implementation fell through the cracks, as soon as the entire administrative machinery was galvanised into the election mode and its monitoring of the model code of conduct.
The election season here witnessed the highest quantum of plastic waste generation during rallies, and campaigns. Suddenly, water packets, plastic flags, big and small, found their way into the use. With the focus on model code violations, there was little or no manpower to monitor the ban that was steadily enforced since January.
While departmental stores and big retail stores have stuck to the ban, plastic bags are freely available with roadside fruit and vegetable hawkers.