Dehradun: Traders unhappy with DMC's plastic ban drive

DEHRADUN: As Dehradun Municipal Corporation’s drive against use of plastic goes full throttle in the city, local traders are expressing their discontent with the action taken by officials against those found violating the plastic ban diktat. They allege that the officials penalise them even for using plastic sheets of permissible macron-level.
“Civic officials imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on me for keeping five kilograms of plastic sheets in my shop.But they didn’t even check the plastic’s macron level. The officials do not possess any instrument for measuring micron-level of the plastic while conducting a raid. It gets very difficult for us to make them understand that certain type of plastics don’t come under the banned category,” a local trader told TOI. Notably, the administration has only banned plastics with macron level lesser than 50. In addition, use of plastic bowl for food packing, carry bags, and small water pouches have also been prohibited.
Some traders have also accused the officials of being biased. “They never raid markets of Prem Nagar or Vikas Nagar area where they will find tonnes of plastics. They just harass small traders like me,” said another trader.
In the last 12 months, the DMC has issued 2,200 notices and has collected about Rs 5.40 lakh as fine in the name of plastic use ban. The civic body claims that plastic waste constitutes for 7% of the total waste generated in the city. “The officials penalised me for possessing plastic which I use for packaging my stock. I don’t give out plastic carry bags to consumers and yet I was fined. I feel that these officials aren’t aware of the “Dos and Donts” of plastic ban. If they are so serious regarding the plastic use ban, why don’t they ban the factories manufacturing them,” another local trader told TOI.
Speaking to TOI, state chairman of the All India Industries Association Rakesh Bhatia said, “Manufacturers in Uttarakhand do not produce any plastic carry bags as they come under the prohibited category. The plastic carry bags which we find in the state are mostly coming from the neighbouring states.”
Naveen Kumar Sadana, Manager of the Waste Warriors (NGO), said, “Banning plastic isn’t the most suitable solution. Alternatives should be provided to consumers and public should also cooperate like carrying their jute bags whenever they are going for shopping. Even the officers should be educated which type of plastic is prohibited and which is not. This is a long process and it will take time for people to adapt it. Government should produce advertisements in public interest telling the general about the effects of plastic. Right now, masses aren’t completely educated about this issue.”
DMC commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey when queried, said, “On this Independence Day, we launched the drive to make Dehradun plastic-free. For this, we have decided to hold an open session with all the stakeholders, including various Vyapar Mandals, Resident Welfare Associations and others. The session will take place on August 23 at the Nagar Nigam hall. We appeal to the local public to cooperate with us as their role is extremely important. Soon a roadmap will be chalked out to completely eliminate plastic use in Dehradun.”