Kerala: Traders in a fix over plastic bags

Thiruvananthapuram: The ban on plastics below 50 microns is causing losses, according to traders. When told that there are no carry bags, customers would leave without buying, they say. They describe this as a Catch 22. Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi member Mohammed Sidheek says, “We cannot sell off the stock of plastic carry bags which we have already bought, as these are below 50 microns. The thicker bags are not easily available. Alternatives to plastic are not accessible. What do we do?”

Moreover, the corporation needs to be paid a Rs 3 fee each for the hologram to be stamped on each bag. The idea is to increase the price so that it dissuades customers from buying plastic bags. “We already pay 20% as sales tax. Why pay more?” asks Mr Sidheek. Meanwhile, the corporation is contemplating a project of cloth and paper bag units, which it hopes to implement through Kudumbashree.

Mayor V. K. Prashant says, “In order to make paper and cloth bags readily available, we are thinking of providing subsidies to set up plastic and paper bag units. The corporation is ready to support the traders if they want to set up such units. However, they do not seem very open to the eco-friendly alternatives.”

The idea of making cloth bag units was mooted by Suchitwa Mission, with Kudumbashree. However, the project is still in the nascent stages, according to a source in Kudumbashree. The traders had asked for time till Onam so that they can sell off the stock of thin bags they have already bought. The corporation, however, was not willing to give them a breather. The mayor said, “This initiative needs to be strictly implemented.”