Five months after the Noida Authority relaunched its anti-plastic drive to implement the ban on plastics in the city, shop-keepers and residents are flouting the guidelines.
"We hardly make any profit in our business, how do they expect us to spend money on expensive cloth bags?" said a local cloth seller at the Brahmaputra Market. A fact check by DNA found out that the people are seen openly using polythene in Atta Market, Brahmaputra Market, and various other shopping complexes. A customer in the Brahmaputra Market said, "It is India where no ban can ever be successful, so people continue to use (polythene) without any fear."
Meanwhile, India will celebrate the World Environment Day on Tuesday under the theme of "Beat Plastic Pollution".
The Noida Authority started imposing a penalty of Rs 500 on anyone found using a polyethene bag of 40 microns or below thickness in January this year. As per the rules, if a person is found violating the ban for a second time, the authority will charge a penalty of Rs 500 per day. A third-time violation would lead to an imprisonment of three months.
"We hide the plastic bags for products like eggs," said a shopkeeper in Sector 36. The street vendors complain of the lack of other alternatives.
In November 2015, the Allahabad High Court had directed the state government to issue a notice banning the sale of polythene in the state by December 31, 2015. The ban prohibits the manufacturing, importing, purchase, and storage of all kinds of polythene carry bags.
The Noida Authority claims to have formed teams to keep a check on the use of poly-bags in the city, but the reality seems otherwise as people state that the drive lost its momentum with time. "Big shopkeepers can use expensive carry bags, but we, who pack food items, don't have any available alternative. Besides, who doesn't want to save the environment," lamented a street hawker.
But the failure of the drive is because of the lack of understanding of problem's root causes and inefficient implementation strategies. "The Noida Authority has the provisions of fining the vendors and shopkeepers using the poly-bags, but the manufacturers, who are the crux of the problem, escape scot-free," said Chitra Mukherjee, Head of Programmes at Chintan, an NGO dealing with environmental issues.
RS Yadav, from the Noida Authority, told DNA that it is not possible to keep the entire city in check every day, but they try their best to make this drive a success.
WHY IT FAILED
- RS Yadav, from the Noida Authority, told DNA that it is not possible to keep the entire city in check every day, but they try their best to make this drive a success.
- But the failure of the drive is because of the lack of understanding of problem’s root causes and inefficient implementation strategies.
