A year after the government banned the use of single-use plastic in the State, the lack of viable alternatives or proper enforcement has meant that traders and restaurateurs continue to use it indiscriminately.
In March, BBMP officials seized 1.5 tonnes of plastic from K.R. Market and Avenue Road. However, G.M. Divakar, president, K.R. Market Traders’ Welfare Association, described the seizure as an eyewash. Officials seized plastic only from shops that sold them, and not grocers who continue to pack products in plastic carry bags. “Since K.R. Market handles small-value transactions of ₹20 to ₹30, traders dispense products in the cheapest, low-quality plastic bags,” he said.
He suggested increasing fines to deter traders from using plastic, as in the case of parking violations.
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Even in HSR Layout, which was one of the first areas to implement the ban, single-use plastic utensils and containers, and non-woven bags have made a comeback. “The main culprits are restaurants, which deliver food in polythene bags. Besides, they use paper cups lined with plastic,” alleged Kamesh Rastogi, a resident of HSR Layout.
The situation is similar in most restaurants across the city. Some that concentrate on food delivery have cut out plastic by using paper boxes, but several others continue to use plastic freely. “Dry food is delivered in a non-woven bag, but plastic boxes are used for gravies,” says Nidhi, a resident of Frazer Town. Non-woven bags, which have the texture of cloth, are made of polypropylene and have a high plastic content.
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Ban production
Chandrashekar Hebbar, president, Hotelier’s Association, said that for the ban to become effective, it should be enforced at the production level. “Officials say that plastic comes from other States. As long as plastic is available freely, a ban makes little sense,” he added.
Vinodh G., BBMP Health Inspector for HSR Layout, claims to have collected ₹10.25 lakh in fines from restaurants using banned plastic items in the last eight months. “Many restaurateurs do not realise that even the silver foil they use for gravies is actually 95% plastic. The same goes for non-woven bags,” he said.
Mayor G. Padmavathi acknowledged the gap between intent and implementation. “While some Joint Commissioners have been enforcing the ban and conducting regular checks, this is not happening in all the zones. We will consider increasing the fine on violators to deter people from using plastic,” she said.