Plastic ban causes 50 per cent drop in business'

Mumbai: Amid the ban on the use plastic items imposed by Maharashtra government, the Plastic Bags Manufacturers Assoc-iation of India has stated that the industry is looking at a loss of Rs 15,000 crore, rendering around 3 lakh people jobless overnight. Calling the ban discriminatory, the association stated that as many as 2,500 members have to shut their shop now.

Moreover, the ban has caused a 50 per cent drop in business due to lack of packaging alternatives, according to the Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association. “We are facing a huge loss in business at over 3 lakh kirana stores across Maharashtra. Business is down 50 per cent,” association president Viren Shah said.

The Retailers Associa-tion of India (RAI) stated that an advisory committee headed by Praveen Pardesi, additional chief secretary to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on June 20 had allowed some relaxation in plastic packing at retail level, with non-woven carry bags being allowed as an alternate to plastic bag of 60 gsm.

However, RAI claimed that the same report has not been cleared yet, and there is still confusion. “Business has suffered due to fear of heavy penalty charges and removal of plastic pac-ked food and other products in cities including Pune, Nagpur and Nas-hik. Sale of juices, milk and curd has dropped by 25 per cent,” said Shah.