People still dependent on plastic bags

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 5: Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a ban on single-use plastics all over the country from October 2 in a bid to make the country free of such plastic by 2022, markets and shops in the State are still heavily dependant on such plastics .
Even now, if one buys a few things from the market or from any shop, the items are sure to come packed inside a plastic bag. Plastic wastes are also common in every nook and corner and on road sides.
Nonetheless, some people are often seen bringing their own bags while coming for shopping things.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, one of the women vegetable vendors of the Khwairamband market said that half kg, one kg and two kg plastic bags are the most circulated ones, as they are being used up at the rate of around 2-3 packets every day.
She mentioned that even if there is a ban on plastics, they are easily available and explained that the jute bags or degradable bags supplied by the Government costs around Rs 2 per piece which is not every economical when selling vegetables for a small sum of Rs 5-10.
This is one of the main reasons why women vendors, most of whom are poor, are dependant on plastic bags, she reasoned.
However, this does not mean that plastic use has not been discouraged in all shops.  Some shops have started using paper bags for small items, apart from providing bags made of cloth if the customers buy a large number of items.