HDMC will strictly enforce single-use plastic ban: Mayor

Dharwad: The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation has decided to strictly enforce the single-use plastic ban in twin cities. Hotels and bakeries operating in twin cities, should fall in line and voluntarily give up the use of plastic bags, said Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor Iresh Anchatgeri.
Chairing a meeting of hoteliers and bakery owners on implementing the ban on single-use plastic ban at his office here on Friday he said, “Considering the hazardous effects of plastic items, the government has banned single-use plastic. As responsible citizens, it is the duty of all to contain the use of plastic bags and other items which are posing threat to the environment.”
However, the hoteliers were at loggerheads with the HDMC and the government claiming without proposing any alternative to plastic, a blanket ban has been imposed. The hotels are recuperating after two years of the pandemic and the decision of banning plastic will push them into hardship, they claimed.
Responding to this, Anchatgeri said it is an open secret that people are addicted to the use of plastic bags and items and it would initially be tough to stop them. But, considering the need for protecting the environment, everyone should voluntarily give up using plastic items, he said.
HDMC is ready to hold a series of workshops for hoteliers, street food vendors, bakeries, grocery merchants and others on alternatives to plastic. Environmentalists will be roped in to educate people on this, he said.
Based on the appeal from the Hotel Owners' Association to give them at least a week to look for alternatives to plastic, Anchatgeri said officials will start penalising hotels and bakeries using plastic bags and seize the materials from next week.
On the alleged sale of sub-standard food and use of chemicals by street food vendors, the mayor directed food inspectors to inspect the quality of food sold on streets. If any vendor is using banned food substances or chemicals, the stalls should be seized, and cases should be filed against them, he said.