Chennai, Sept 29:
The Tamil Nadu government has given the go-ahead to revive a cloth bag distribution initiative aimed at encouraging people to move away from single-use plastic bags.
The earlier “Meendum Manjal Pai” (Reclaim the Yellow Cloth Bag) initiative has now been renamed the “Cloth Bag Distribution Scheme”. Under the revived programme, machines will be installed at selected locations to provide reusable cloth bags to the public.
Tamil Nadu had banned single-use plastic bags in 2019 during the AIADMK regime. Following the ban, successive governments have taken measures to discourage the use of disposable plastic products.
In December 2021, the then DMK government launched the “Meendum Manjal Pai” campaign as an alternative to single-use plastic bags. Machines were installed at locations frequented by the public, enabling people to obtain cloth bags by paying Rs 10.
Funds had also been allocated for implementing the initiative.
Following the change of government, questions had arisen over the continuation of financial support for the programme. The government has now approved its continuation under a new name — the “Cloth Bag Distribution Scheme”.
As part of the revived initiative, steps are being taken to install machines for dispensing cloth bags. In the first phase, machines are proposed to be installed at 105 locations across the State.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has begun the process of inviting tenders for installing the machines as well as supplying the cloth bags required for them.
The move is intended to provide people with a readily available reusable alternative while reinforcing the State’s efforts to reduce dependence on single-use plastic bags.
The scheme’s revival also represents a continuation of an earlier initiative, though with a change in name and implementation under the present administration. The first phase covering 105 locations will be taken forward through the tender process initiated by the Pollution Control Board.