Mumbai: The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FTRWA) will on Friday approach the Bombay High Court seeking an exemption from the ban on select plastic items for polypropylene (PP) bags. The State-government imposed ban comes into effect from June 23.
The decision was taken at an FRTWA meeting in Dadar, attended by over 25 city-based trader and retailer associations, to discuss possible effects of the ban and measures to be taken. The association had planned on seeking a court stay on the ban, but decided to comply while seeking the exemption.
Addressing the meeting, Viren Shah, president, FTRWA, said, “Ask your suppliers to send you material packaged in PP bags, because it is within the ambit of the law for you to use the plastic provided to you by your goods manufacturer or supplier.” Before the meeting began, most retailers agreed that their problem is centred around PP bags.
Few solutions
Those attending the meet included owners of saree shops, edible oil manufacturers, grain sellers, jewellers and plastic bag manufacturers. Clothing manufacturers said they couldn’t be expected to deliver wedding suits to customers without plastic packaging, especially during the monsoon. Plastic manufacturers were notified of the ban on March 23, representatives from the Plastic Manufacturers Association said. They moved the HC for a three-month relief period, and an expert committee was set up to review the ban. However, the committee is yet to arrive at a decision, they said.
Ashish Savla, president, Flexible Packaging Industries and Trade Association, said, “Our factories are being shut down for no fault of ours. The BMC hasn’t devised a sustainable way to manage plastic, and we’re suffering the consequences. In fact, we’re willing to take the initiative and ask retailers to provide bins to collect plastic in their shops, which will be recycled. A complete ban does more harm than good, as no viable alternatives are available. Paper bags also affect the environment, and cloth ones are expensive. As manufacturers, we will all lose our livelihoods.”
BJP Mumbadevi MLA Raj Purohit, who was present, assured the meeting he would take up the matter with the State government. “I will convey the grievances of traders here to the Chief Minister. I believe an action committee, where you would also be represented, should be set up to discuss this. The CM has conveyed to me that he doesn’t want retailers and traders to lose out. I’m willing to go to Mantralaya with Mr. Shah on Saturday.”
