Jaipur: The nationwide ban on single-use plastic has been ineffective on first day as indiscriminate use of banned plastic items by shopkeepers continued in the city.
The ban has been enforced since Friday. The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board and local civic body have raided some manufacturers in the city during the day.
TOI did a reality check to figure out that in many places shopkeepers are not aware of the plastic ban while those who are aware are keeping a tab on authorities.
A 70-year-old vegetable vendor in Vaishali Nagar, Ranu Lal, was handing out veggies in single-use plastic to customers. Replying to a question on whether she is aware of the ban, she was taken aback at first but after a while responded, “I don’t want to sell plastic in the first place as I am aware that I have to pay the penalties and not our suppliers. Other material bags are expensive and if I don’t keep the bags they will move to another vendor.”
It is not everyone is living in denial mode. Many shopkeepers especially the big shops have introduced alternatives like bags from waste clothes and paper bags. “It took us a day earning to buy saree bags in order to replace plastic bags. It will minutely increase the price of the product, but it is nothing when it comes to saving the environment,” said Ansu Sharma, Ansu Saree Shop, Jhotwara.
Pointing out that the government has not taken any initiatives to create awareness of the plastic ban like hoardings and billboards across the state.
Sohan Agarwal, Grocery Shop owner of Tonk Road says that imposing a penalty of Rs 1,000-2,000 will eat away the daily long earnings. “At least for the initial months, they should not impose any penalty till everyone is aware of the ban. Also, we need to have proper alternatives so that plastic ban is ban effectively,” said Agarwal.
Additional commissioner of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC, Greater) Ashish Kumar informed that on day one they seized 15 kilograms of plastic.
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