After a brief decline in their usage, polythene bags are again back to normal in the city limits and outskirts. Polythene bags can be easily found strewn on streets, floating in water bodies while they continue to be freely used by vendors and shop keepers, despite ban on it by the High Court.
“A few shopping malls in the city have the concept of providing jute bags on minimal charges and largely everyone else relies on polythene. Even the customers don’t object to usage of polythene bags and have a happy-go-lucky attitude without thinking about its ramifications in the long run,” said Radhika Sharma, a homemaker.
“See Himachal Pradesh, what a fine example they have given to the rest of the country. We in J and K should also contribute our bit in discouraging the usage of polythene ban. We must do it to protect environment for our children,” added Radhika.
It is now eight years since the State Government announced the imposition of ban on polythene usage but there is little action on ground. Although the Jammu Municipal Corporation had formed market checking squads cracking down on polythene users, the use of alternative paper and jute bags hasn’t been widespread due to which the polythene usage has picked up once again.
No doubt, the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is conducting drives to implement the decision of the High Court directing the State Government to ban polythene but still the authorities failed to get rid of the problem.
“In our locality, every shopkeeper, vendor uses polythene bags despite the ban. When no one is there to keep a check, they go by their will,” said Pallavi Sharma, a resident of Purani Mandi.
“I don’t see any ban in our area. Polythene bags are available everywhere and heaps of them can be spotted in the garbage lying roadside,” a college student Deepshikha Sharma said. “I have studied ill effects of polythene bags in my 12th class. They destroy natural environment but the use of this hazardous material is common here and no one is concerned about it,” shared Deepshikha.
It is not that authorities, shoppers and traders are unaware of the dangers of polythene bags to the society and the environment. Most of them have enough awareness about the dangers of using polythene. However, in the absence of enforcement, the traders continue to use carry bags for packing materials. Though almost all traders are using carry bags, the menace has reached all time high in restaurants and roadside eateries.
A visit to a restaurant can expose the extensive use of polythene bags. Many of the restaurants, particularly small eateries, are using polythene bags for packing dosa, idly, chutney, sambar, vegetable dishes and others. The result is a customer who buys a parcel meal, returns home with at least 7 or 8 polythene bags and then heap of these bags can be seen in the lanes and drains.
When STATE TIMES talked to shopkeepers regarding this, they have a totally different story to share. “We are in a state of confusion whether to keep plastic bags or not. When a customer comes to know that we do not have polythene bags, they refuse to purchase items from shop. So, I had to again start keeping plastic bags. How can I see my customers going to other shops where plastic bags are easily available?” says Ramesh Kumar, owner of a vegetable store.
“It is not just the government which has to work seriously towards ban on polythene, but common people also have to make effort on their part. There is a dire need to educate people and make them learn that there are alternatives to polythene bags and moreover, the authorities need to start campaigns and drives to educate people and also make other options available in market so that consumers can easily shift to other alternatives,” shared Sugandh Sharma, a college student. She added unless the civil society takes a pledge to stop the use of polythene, no success can be achieved.
The need of the hour is that the concerned officials should conduct a weekly or fortnightly review meeting with the local body officials to monitor the enforcement of ban on polythene bags. Moreover, more stress should be given on the usage of alternative eco-friendly carry bags and there is a dire need to make affordable availability of the same in the market.