The use of banned polythene bags has again increased in the State capital, especially due to the festive season. Shopkeepers have once again started flouting the ban and are selling their products openly in polythene bags.
The district administration is planning to act strictly against those found flouting the ban on polythene bags. District Magistrate of Dehradun, BVRC Purushottam said that criminal cases would be filed against the retailers found using polythene bags. After lodging of the case, they could be sent to jail for three months.
Though many shopkeepers denied using polythene bags, they said that they were using polythene bags measuring above 40 microns. According to president of Doon Udhyog Vyapar Mandal, Vipin Nagaliya, 99 percent of traders and shopkeepers are not violating the ban. He said that the administration had earlier banned polythene bags below 40 microns in Dehradun. Generally, these polythene bags are non biodegradable which adds to the pollution and disturbs the ecological balance as well, he added.
President of U-Turn Foundation, Hemant Nav Kumar, said, “Our foundation is working for last three years to eradicate this menace from the society and has achieved positive result to some extent.” He added that cooperation of the civil society and administration is vital to get rid of this nuisance permanently. As per Hemant, the Uttarakhand Government should also try to bring some Act as in Himachal Pradesh where an Act has been introduced to stop use of polythene bags. The HP Government has banned the use of polythene bags below 70 micron, which is surely an appreciable measure adopted by them.
He said that generally the packed milk is sold in polythene bags of 50 microns. After some duration, these polythene bags start releasing polymers which mix with milk and are considered harmful to health.
He said that the Government should start some door to door campaign in order to spread awareness among people. The use of paper and fabric bags should also be promoted more by the administration, he added.