Environment-Friendly Move: ATB vending machines to provide cloth bags

Tirupati: Now consumers visiting Tirupati Rythu Bazar need not get worried if they forget to take a bag to buy vegetables. Thanks to AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB), Tirupati branch for setting up a cloth bag vending machine at the Rythu Bazar.

Named as ‘Any Time Bag’ (ATB) vending machine, it provides cloth bags to the consumers on payment of Rs 10. The machine was inaugurated by District Collector K Venkataramana Reddy on Tuesday along with APPCB executive engineer Narendra Babu.

It may be recalled that the Tirupati Municipal Corporation has banned the use of plastic bags in the city. Though there are some lapses in the implementation part as some people are still using plastic bags, many others have been facing difficulties in buying vegetables or other essentials at the Rythu Bazar when they go directly from some other work without having a bag in hand.

Taking this as an advantage some shopkeepers there have been selling different types of bags at higher prices. The consumers are forced to buy them in the absence of any alternative.

The APPCB which has taken up various initiatives to keep pollution at bay and protect the environment has focused on this aspect as well. Apart from different awareness programmes including rallies and meetings, it has come forward in setting up ATB vending machines at the Rythu Bazar to encourage the use of cloth bags instead of plastic bags.

After inaugurating the machine, the Collector said that the APPCB has been providing cloth bags worth Rs 20 for Rs 10 only. He lauded the initiative in bringing environment-friendly bags as part of the journey to Swachh Andhra Pradesh. To get a cloth carry bag, consumers can drop a Rs 10 note or two Rs 5 coins in the machine. A QR code system will also be introduced at the machine to get the bags, he said. AE Madan Mohan, marketing department assistant director Surendra Babu, Rythu Bazar estate officer Akthar Sharif and others took part in the programme.