Needed: Affordable, better alternative to plastic bags

Rajendranagar: Even as the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao directed the officials to work out guidelines for placing complete ban on single use plastic on October 10, there appears to be little change on the ground. Despite claims by the GHMC, there have been no curbs on manufacturing selling as well as using plastic carry bags in and around the city.

The encouraging reports of people leaning towards non-plastic items, notwithstanding, the actual situation is that carry bags are still making their way into the market. In Katedan, where a large number of plastic manufacturing units exist, GHMC officials are carrying out inspections and imposing penalties to check the production of plastic beyond the permissible limits, but no strong impact is felt as yet.

A couple of days back, a team comprising GHMC Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar along with AMOH Padma, Licensing Officer Anjaneyulu and Sanitary Supervisor Narsimha carried out surprise inspections at a few units in Rajendranagar and found violations. The units were slapped with notices and also penalised to the tune of Rs 3,88,000. However, observers point out that such inspections are made only when reports of rampant plastic use appear in media.

"The GHMC officials claim that they are carrying surprise inspections at manufacturing units to check the violations but the fact is many illegal units are still operating under their very nose. As a result, plastic carry bags continue to flood the market, exposing the hollow claims of the officials," said Mujahed Mohiuddin Khudri, president of GKR Foundation.

"We are doing our business as usual with the plastic carry bags as there is no proper substitute presently available to polythene and even if they are available, the rates are not affordable. Neither the hawkers nor the customers can afford the prices.

The people will not abolish plastic bags until and unless a better alternative is shown," said Abdul Rasheed, a banana vendor at Shivrampally, Rajendranagar. "It is the customers who have to stop asking for polythene bags and take their own bags to buy stuff. If they are approaching us empty-handed, we will be constrained to provide them the bags to carry the goods," said Ibrahim, the owner of general store at Shastripuram.

It may be mentioned here that following Chief Minister's directive, the officials said that the Katedan industrial area in the Greater Hyderabad limits was the hub of plastic manufacturing companies. The authorities said they would hold a meeting with all manufacturing companies and seek their cooperation to enforce the plastic ban.