With smooth implementation of the Plastic Ban in Margao and Ponda, it looks like the Mapusa Municipal Council is having a tough time to implement the ban since there are hardly a few vendors and stake holders who are in support of the ban.
The Mapusa Municipal Council had planned to implement a plastic ban in Mapusa from January 26, 2018. However, since the municipality did not have required number of market inspectors, the ban was postponed to April 1, 2018, but in reality the ban was implemented on April 2 after notices were issued to all the stake holders.
But on the first day itself since the vendors were not ready to implement the ban, the council had to go slow with wave of punishment or imposing fines on the first day. The Municipality only gave a warning to the vendors and served notices to them.
Mapusa Municipal Council has formed four teams consisting of four labourers and the team is headed by four municipal inspectors to keep a check on the plastic ban. However, it is noticed that the use of plastic has not completely stopped in the town.
When Herald contacted the vendors and stakeholders in Mapusa market, this is what some of them had to say.
A vegetable seller Raju said, “People bring their own carry bags while coming for shopping but instead of using that bag, they ask us for a carry bag. When we deny giving a bag, they prefer going to the other vendors who give them bags. So instead of losing the customer, we prefer giving them carry bags”.
Another garment seller Shaikh said, “We sell garments which are not expensive or branded. If our products only cost Rs 100 then how will be able to provide branded carry bags. We provide carry bags according to the business we are doing and if we don’t provide with bags then the customer goes away”.
A shop keeper Vishwas Naik said,” Every now and then the municipality comes up with some or the other rule but there is no use of this since these rules last only for dew days. Even this issue of plastic ban will be carried out for a few days and then it will be stopped”.
A fish vendor said, “People who come to buy fish bring their bags but they do not put the fish directly in their bags. We have to give them carry bags otherwise we lose the customer”.
