Dwarka: SDMC's ban on plastic bags, Herculean task to impose in weekly markets
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Dwarka: SDMC's ban on plastic bags, Herculean task to impose in weekly markets

These thin bags come at cheap rates and are easily available in weekly markets.

Dwarka: SDMC's ban on plastic bags, Herculean task to impose in weekly markets

Despite SDMC's ban on one-time plastic bags, weekly markets in Dwarka city are openly using them. Even the small local shopkeepers are using these bags. Looking at the current scenario, people commented that it was going to be a Hercules task for the department to impose their ban on the bags.

Before the new directives of the complete ban on one-time plastic bags were issued, people were allowed to use bags of a specified thickness. But, in the weekly markets, people are using bags below 10 microns.  Experts and the environment activists say that such polythene bags are hazardous to the environment. 

These thin bags come at cheap rates and are easily available. Rakesh Sharma, resident of Sector 23 said, "It is a tedious task and there is a need to stop supply of such plastic bags to the markets. The Authority and people need to strengthen their rules if they want a polythene free market."

Vendors, when asked, said that they buy both, polythene bags and vegetables from the same mandi. Else, they buy from the dealer who sells plastic bags on the same market day. An expert, SN Singh said, "Such poly-bags are hazardous to the environment as are not recyclable. Its segregation is difficult hence, it is often thrown out with the garbage, which later is eaten by the cattle."

As per the new plastic rules, there are certain do's and dont's for all the manufacturers, distributors and other government bodies. The government had banned plastic bags that are below 50 microns as they pose a major threat to the environment.

According to the people working on the environment, the administration is responsible for the practice of sale and purchase and also the use of such poly-bags in the markets. They said, to apply the new rule monitoring and persecution is needed. DN Singh a resident of Sector 14 Dwarka said, “ At Sector 14 in Sunday market one can see how openly such poly-bags are being used. The corporation and the Delhi government know about this. But they do not bother. The recent ban seems not leaving an impact. It shows that such ban would go for a formal order and nothing more than that. SDMC itself must ensure that there is no use of such things in its markets.”

CitySpidey had a talk with the vendors in different weekly markets and got to know that they had no choice but to go for cheaper, thin poly-bags. A vendor at Sector 14 Dwarka weekly market said, “ I use half kilograms of poly bags in every weekly market. Such bags are very thin and are light in weight hence we get more in numbers than the regular poly-bags. We don't want to use polythene but we have no choice. If the government enforces the law, it will help us also in saving at least Rs 100 per weekly market.”