Faridkot, August 21
Over a month after the state government notified the ban on single-use plastic items (SUP), retailers have alleged harassment by the Municipal Committees (MCs) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).
After the All India Retailers’ Federation took up the matter with the PPCB, it assured their would be no harassment of vendors. The retailers alleged that the supply of SUP items remained uninterrupted in the market. Instead of breaking the supply chain, MC and PPCB officials had been inspecting roadside vendors and retailers. They had been imposing fine on them.
In a representation to the PPCB, the All India Retailers’ Association demanded that the ban on single-use plastic items should be enforced by taking stringent action on manufacturers instead of small vendors.
In a reply to the representation, the PPCB conveyed to the AIRA that all regional offices of the board had been directed to revoke or modify consent and registration issued to producers engaged in the production of SUP items. No manufacturer has been allowed to produce the banned SUP items in the state.
As per the state government notification, manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) etc are banned.
