MARGAO: A call for a comprehensive action plan prior to imposing fines has emerged from vendors and shopkeepers, as authorities intensify efforts to clamp down on single-use plastic bags. As the crackdown unfolds, GOACAN, a local advocacy organisation, also voiced its perspective, emphasising that raids and fines alone will not solve the plastic bag issue.
It stressed the need to involve vendors and the public in a collaborative manner before taking punitive actions.
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Recent days have witnessed government and civic body authorities conducting raids across Salcete taluka, targeting shops, street vendors, and supermarkets to enforce the ban on plastic bags. Fines ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 have been levied on those found with plastic bags, causing frustration among affected vendors and shopkeepers.
Numerous vendors have reported that the shift to cloth bags has inflicted significant losses on their businesses. Some customers are reportedly refusing to accept their purchased goods without bags, adding to the challenges they face.
Vinod Raikar, a vendor at the Margao market, acknowledged the importance of reducing plastic bag usage but highlighted the necessity of viable alternatives that won’t eat into their small profit margins. He criticised the apparent bias where fines are imposed on small vendors while the plastic bag wholesalers and manufacturers remain unscathed.
Seby Dias, owner of a ‘ras-omelette’ roadside stall in Nuvem, criticised the authorities for allegedly harassing the public under the pretext of the plastic bag ban. While acknowledging the issues posed by plastic bags, Dias stressed that a balanced approach is essential—one that spares small businesses while genuinely promoting the ban.
Roland Martins of GOACAN echoed the sentiment, asserting that merely imposing fines through raids will not lead to a resolution. Underscoring the necessity of a comprehensive strategy from the outset, he called for government agencies need to take vendors into confidence in order to get rid of plastic bags.
