Indian Express 17.03.2010
Plastic ban: milk packets to be an exception
Pune: Two months after the civic body imposed a complete ban on use of plastic, the city improvement committee of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has sought the withdrawal of ban on bags used for milk supply. Meanwhile, it has proposed extending the ban on plastic used for sale of gutkha, popcorn and other products in pouches.
On December 26 last year, the PMC general body had passed a resolution seeking total ban on plastics of all sizes. The civic action helped in reduction of huge amount of plastic waste that was generated everyday. The civic administration had been seizing plastic bags used by shopkeepers, penalising them and initiating legal action against some.
“Almost every household in the city gets its milk supply in plastic bags. A ban on plastic bags used for milk supply will create inconvenience to citizens at large and introducing a system of supply of milk in bottles is not possible all of a sudden. Thus, the civic body should exempt the plastic bags used for milk supply,” said Kiran Bartakke, chairman, city improvement committee.
The proposal to this effect will now be tabled in the general body on March 19.
The proposal suggests that the ban on plastic bags for milk supply should be withdrawn. Simultaneously, the plastic pouches used for gutkha, popcorn and other products should be banned as they were causing major environmental hazards, it said.
Shiv Sena corporator Prithviraj Sutar said the plastic bags for milk supply are recycled and are not left in open to damage the environment unlike other plastic bags. The plastic manufacturers association continues to protest against the decision of the civic body. “The PMC had taken the decision without taking our opinion into consideration. The ban is not acceptable and would not succeed without our support,” said Bansilal Lunkad, president of the association, adding that it would challenge the decision legally if the civic body did not reconsider it.
Meanwhile, the civic body has undertaken the promotion of alternatives to plastic bags by deciding to support organisations that support manufacture of paper bags.
