the goan I network
MARGAO
Margao traders and vendors in the municipal markets, New market and Gandhi market, on Monday offered their support and cooperation to the Margao Municipality to get rid of plastic bags below 50 microns, but reiterated their strong objection to the payment of the annual fee of Rs 48,000 to the civic body for use of plastic bag above 50 microns.
Even as the Margao Municipality has set April 1 as the deadline to bring into force the ban on use of 50 micron size plastic bags in the commercial capital, the traders and vendors demanded a total plastic ban, while opposing use of plastic bags above 50 micron size by paying the annual feel.
They also demanded that the Margao Municipality raid the vehicles transporting the plastic bags to the city as well as the factories manufacturing plastic bags below 50 micron size.
A delegation comprising of New Market traders led by President Vinod Shirodkar and president of the Gandhi Market Vendors Association Rajendra Azgaonkar called on Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes on Monday to offer their support and cooperation to ban the use of plastic bags below 50 micron. They, however, reiterated their objection to the Margao Municipal Council’s decision to levy a fee of Rs 48,000, around Rs 4,000 a month towards the use of the plastic bags.
After giving the traders and vendors a patient hearing, the Chief Officer maintained that the annual fee is not something that has been suggested by the Council, but pointed out that the fee is envisaged in the 2016 Act on plastic waste handling. “The Municipality cannot be faulted for proposing to levy the annual fee of Rs 48,000, which works out to Rs 4,000 a month. The Law on plastic provides for the levy of the fee,” Johnson explained to the traders and vendors.
The Chief Officer made it further clear that despite the payment of the annual fee of Rs 48,000, it will not bestow any right on the business establishments to sell plastic bags. “Sale of plastic bags across the counter is banned by law. It is the responsibility of the shop owners to convey to the customers that they have to pay for the plastic bags above 50 microns,” he said, adding that the payment of fees does not automatically bestow any right on the traders or vendors to sell plastic bags across the counter, even though the bags may be above 50 micron size.
New Market Traders Association president Vinod Shirodkar said the use of plastic bags, above 50 micron size will only benefit the big time businessmen, who can afford to pay the annual fee of Rs 48,000 to use the plastic bags. “There cannot be separate law for the poor and rich businessmen,” he said, adding that the traders and vendors are ready to destroy their stock of plastic bags provided the MMC enforce a total ban on plastic, including sale of plastic above 50 micron size.
