In a bid to enforce plastic ban, Zone 12 officers of Greater Chennai Corporation have so far seized close to seven tonnes of banned items from the neighbourhood.
“We have been regularly going around the locality to carry out searches to ensure the usage is curbed down,” said Zone 12 Health Officer.
When questioned about imposition of fine on repeat offenders, the officer said, “We have not received any instruction on that front yet and we have been informed that we would be updated about collecting charges following the announcement of election results.”
The officer further added that there has been significant change among shopkeepers who own considerably bigger shops. “It is the small-scale people like flower vendors who are not adhering to the law despite canvassing several times on the ban of 14 single-use plastic items,” the officer said.
“I procured these covers long ago when ban was not announced,” answered a vendor near Pazhavanthangal Railway Station.
However, much to everyone’s surprise, another seller along the walkway was handing out the woven flowers in plantain leaves. She said, “Only a few customers have accustomed to packaging in leaves, but otherwise they say they would come back with a bag, but never turn up.” On the far right end of her table was a fresh pack of plastic covers which was already opened and used. Pointing to the them, she responded, “I have no other go but to use them.”
Rani, a flower vendor at Sivan Temple said, “Of course, the ban has hit us. I have started distributing flowers wrapped in leaves – be it woven one or in loose.”
“However, paper bags seem to be a good alternative and my son said he would get it from the local shandy,” added Rani.
But Rani is one among the very few sellers who have embraced the change. Unlike her, a few vendors continue to use the banned covers to let their business running. On the contrary, there are people like R Karthik in the neighbourhood who have been avoiding plastic products consciously since several years, even before the ban was implemented. “I feel the change should come from the consumers’ side. Only when we carry cloth bags, they will avoid buying polymer covers. While the efforts taken by supermarkets in distributing alternative bags are to be appreciated, on the other side, small vendors continue to use them,” he said.