Despite the best efforts of the Tiruchi Corporation and the ban imposed by the civic body on plastic carry bags, the pilgrims’ hub of Srirangam continues to suffer from plastics menace.
There is not a single street or road that is free of plastics. The plastic materials especially carry bags clog the drains that are already an eyesore. Besides, if consumed by quadrupeds, they could lead to mortality.
The problem in Srirangam is two-fold.
While the small vendors continue to sell their items, whether it is flowers, fruits or even puja materials in small carry bags, the phenomenal floating population that visits the temple town–estimated to be around 15,000 a day and even three lakh to five lakh on festival days–and guests at various marriage halls, are accustomed to using plastic bags.
The crux of the issue is whether it is possible to eradicate plastics by law alone.
“We are wedded to plastics for long and many of us have forgotten the practice of carrying cloth bag for shopping,” admit the people.
Besides, even the highly literate refuse to reconcile to the reality of giving up on plastics.
These people know how bad plastics could prove to be for mankind. But they are in no mood to lose the comfort and convenience that these plastic bags offer.
Time and again, even in the farmers’ grievances day at the collectorate, the issue of plastics crop up.
Then the farmers complain that they are taken to task for using plastic bags whereas the administration has failed to tackle the menace at source. “Why do you permit production of plastic bags below 40 microns?
If production is stopped, there is no possibility of these bags hitting the bazaar. Why don’t you raid these factories instead of us, poor vendors?” they ask.
