The Pioneer 29.05.2013
District administration breaks banned polythene supply chain
for plastic free environment have, to some extent, succeeded in breaking
the supply chain of polythene of less than 40 micron in thickness and
measuring 18X12 inches in size.
Following a directive from the District administration, wholesalers of
Ranchi have sold out there entire inventory, as they claim, and have
vowed to stick to the directive in future as well.
“The time which was given to us was sufficient to push the product in
the market and clear the stocks. As of now we are neither maintaining
any inventory of polythene of less than 40 micron in thickness nor have
we placed any order for the polythene of same specification,” said an
employee of Chabra Plastics, the biggest supplier of polythene in Ranchi
and adjoining areas.
Besides large suppliers, small sellers of polythene have also pushed
their product in the market and instead filled their shelf with
polythene of 40 micron and above thickness.
“After the meeting we had with the Ranchi Deputy Commissioner, all
small polythene sellers called a meeting and each one of us vowed to
support the District administration’s effort towards total elimination
of polythene,” said Prabhat Sharma, a small seller of polythene in
Ranchi.
While some sellers may have buckled under the administration’s
pressure, a minority of the class have led by example by not selling
polythene of the said specification even before the District
administration issued the directive banning polythene.
“It’s been more than one year since I stopped selling polythene of less
than 40 micron in thickness. Although the ban was called by District
administration at that time they could not enforce it to the letter,”
said Sanjay Chaudhary of Shyam Traders adding “i stuck to the ban as I
realised the danger it causes to human lives.”
The supply may have dried but the demand for the polythene has not
declined yet. Small shop-owners, another important player in the long
supply chain, jump from one small supplier of polythene to another in
search of polythene of less than 40 micron.
“Shopkeepers always demand such polythene. They anticipate that small
sellers would have stocked the polythene if the wholesaler has sold out
entire lot,” said Sharma adding, “it is the cost of the thicker
polythene which is discouraging shop owners from buying it in place of
thin polythene.” The cost of polythene measuring 40 micron and above in
thickness is around three times the cost of thin polythene.
“It’s the difference in the cost incurred per kilo which has kept the demand alive,” said the employee of Chabra Plastics.
