Pune: After the draft issued by the State government on January 2 banning all kinds of plastic, civic body officials in some parts of Maharashtra including Pune, started raiding small vendors and plastic contents were confiscated from them without issuing panchamas.
The members of Maharashtra Plastic Manufacturers Association (MPMA) got an assurance in writing from Suresh Jagtap, head of Solid Waste Management Department of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), that without any final notification from the State government, no such raids will be conducted on small vendors in the city.
The raids on small scale vendors were conducted in Nashik, Vai, Akola, Satara, Bhid, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Ravi Jashnani, President of MPMA, said, “The plastic manufacturers and traders of Bhid asked the Collector whether they have any final notification from the government to put a total ban on plastic. The Collector replied that there is no such notification from the government yet. The Collector then returned all the confiscated plastic materials to all the vendors.”
12 shops in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were raided. Jashnani further said, “We met Jagtap today and got an assurance in writing that till the government does not issue a final notification, there will be no raids conducted on any shops. He agreed to it and said they will wait till the final notification is approved.”
Recycle and Reuse
Jashnani also explained that after cabinet approval of the notification, there will be 45 days period for suggestion and objection from the public, before the final notification is issued. During that period, we would give suggestions to the government about what can be done to recycle plastic and reuse it, he added.
He said, “All types of plastic is recyclable and reusable, despite microns. Existing alternatives to plastic like glass or paper and cloth will produce more carbon emission, which will lead to pollution and global warming. If the government is ready to help us, we can set up plastic recycling plants and bins in every city and the problem can be solved.”
