MARGAO
Margao Municipal Council’s ambitious plan to ban plastic bags below 50 microns in the commercial capital may gain favour with the market stakeholders as they have in principle welcomed the order, but the question asked in the lane and bylanes of the city market is whether the ban will turn out to be a success this time round after it came a cropper around a decade ago.
While many traders’ associations may not be averse in complying with the MMC order, traders, however, raised questions on how companies engaged in plastic production go scot-free while the authorities go about cracking a whip against the end users.
Questions also came to the fore whether the MMC would make alternate arrangements to replace the plastic bags with cloth and paper bags.
Gadda traders as well as the South Goa hoteliers in principle agreed to support the ban on plastic bags below 50 microns. However, two major traders’ associations with stakes in the New Market and the Gandhi Market, pointed out that they are yet to receive a copy of the Margao Municipal Council order banning sale and use of plastic bags below 50 microns.
The stakeholders have still not received a copy of the order issued by MMC Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes on Monday. The order states the ban on plastics will come into force on April 1. Says New Market Traders Association President, Vinod Shirodkar: “We have still not received the MMC order so far. However, I have a question to ask the authorities. If the use of plastic bags below 50 microns is banned, how come the companies continue manufacturing these bags in violation of law. The traders will implement the order, but what about factories which keep churning out the banned plastic bags, which finally find the way to the markets.”
Rajendra Azgaonkar, President of the Gandhi Market Vendors Association, said the association is yet to receive a copy of the ban order from the MMC. “We will call a meeting of the traders and discuss the issue of the plastic ban in the city from April 1,” he said.
The Margao Gadda Traders Association President, Prashant Naik, said the association will welcome the Margao Municipal Council’s order on ban on plastic bags. “We gadda traders will stand by the Chief Officer in the battle to keep Margao city free of plastics. The city needs to be cleaned up and the plastic waste is a major concern. The amount of plastic waste finding its way to Sonsodo shows the use of plastics in the city,” Prashant said, disclosing plans to call a meeting of the gadda traders to sensitize the traders on the ban proposed to be implemented by the civic body from April 1.
South Goa Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association president C P Jaggi also echoed similar sentiments. “The hoteliers and restaurant owners have in principle agreed to support the MMC’s drive against the use of plastic bags below 50 microns. Let us join hands to keep the city clean. The hoteliers may look for alternatives such as paper bags once the ban comes into force,” Jaggi added.
CO Johnson said the order has been issued to all major traders’ associations, with a request to the Goa police manning the Margao and Fatorda police stations to assist the municipal officer in enforcing the plastic ban.
