Team Herald
MAPUSA: The Mapusa market vendors have been near unanimously defying the ban on plastic carry bags ever since it was imposed on April 1 this year – because, “running a business without the use of plastic carry bags is difficult.”
If one takes a round of the market, one can see most of the vendors handing out to the customers, their purchased articles, in plastic bags freely and without any fear of penalty; street vendors selling chillies, spices, cereals, footwear, accessories and clothes can be seen handing out plastic bags to their customers.
The vendors appear to have taken the ban lightly as a vendor said, “Till the municipality fines us and confiscates our stocks, we will continue to use the plastic carry bags. Until someone from the municipality comes to check, we will keep using the plastic carry bags.”
“Who comes to check whether we are giving out plastic bags to our customers or not? And even if the MMC knows that we are giving out plastic bags, it can’t stop us from using them. Plastic bags are not manufactured in India; so, if the authorities want to ban plastic bags, then they should first ban its import,” said another vendors derisively.
A footwear vendor said, “People can take things like fruits, vegetables, clothes in paper or branded bags. But they cannot take things like footwear and fish in paper. People won’t put their footwear and fish along with other things. Therefore, we have to use plastic carry bags.”
The vendors said that they have been advising their customers to keep plastic carry bags in their shopping bags so that the municipal staff cannot fine them for using plastic carry bags.
However, some shopkeepers have switched over to bags that over 50 microns in thickness and having the shop name printed on them.
A flower vendor said, “We cannot give plastic bags to customers since they are banned by the municipality. If we use, then, we will be fined Rs 5,000.”
