Ranchiites still 'in love' with plastic bags

RANCHI: Despite a ban on single-use plastic products, the menace continues at several areas across the city even as the Ranchi Municipal Corporation claimed it has a dedicated enforcement team of 47 people to stop the use of such items.
The government has prohibited the use of plastic and polythene bags since 2016. RMC officials said since 2019 till today, they have imposed 32.2lakh fine on violators. Between March 2022 and March 2023, 7.8 lakh fine was collected from small and big traders, they added.
RMC assistant administrator Sheetal Kumari said, "We keep conducting crackdowns regularly. We take action based on tip-offs to curb single-use plastic items."
Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board chairman Shashikar Samanta said before June 30 last year, only seven factories were making plastic bags in Jharkhand, and all have been closed. "Banned plastic bags are being smuggled in from other states like WB and Gujarat. We are creating awareness among public through various mass media regularly. People are being advised to use biodegradable plastic bags (having thickness of more than 120 micron)," he said, adding the society must unite to shun plastic.
Explaining why shop owners aren't buying biodegradable bags, owner of Tirupati Plates at Upper Bazaar said, "Very few buy biodegradable plastic bags as they are expensive." A shopper at Priyanka Plastics added, "Plastic bags below 120 micron cost 100 per kg and biodegradable bags come at 250 per kg which is expensive for small shopkeepers."