Traders burn tyres in Pithapur to protest against ban on polythene . Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, July 28: The campaign against polythene launched by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has met with stiff resistance from traders in Pithapur.

More than 150 traders burnt tyres and blocked a road protesting against the ongoing drive against polythene in the city. The traders also downed their shutters in protest against the alleged misbehaviour of an official with a trader during the raid today.

Sources said that a trader identified as Bhawarlal Sethia, 76, was allegedly pushed by the CMC squad that raided his shop to seize polythene items he was selling. Sethia fell down and fainted.

Govind Swain, 42, who ran a tea shop nearby allegedly protested and asked the officials to take Sethia to the hospital. However, police detained him. Sethia, who was eventually taken to SCB Medical College and Hospital, is said to be stable now.

“I was not at the shop when the incident occurred. But my father told me he had requested the officials to wait for 10 minutes because I managed the shop. But the officials did not listen to my father and pushed him,” said Rajendra Sethia, 45, son.

“Around 10am, the CMC officials raided a number of shops at Pithapur. When the traders protested, they were manhandled,” said Shantilal Lodha, 40, a trader.

“Without carrying out proper awareness campaigns and ensuring a complete ban on polythene items, the CMC is conducting such raids, which is totally illegal. There are many big establishments including malls where polythene items were sold. There should also be complete ban on FMCG products that are also sold in plastic wrappers,” said another trader.

Vehicular traffic on Pithapur Road that acts as connecting link between Dolmundai and Choudhry bazar and other areas in the city was disrupted for more than three hours following the road blockade by the traders.

Though senior police officials including deputy commissioner of police Praveen Kumar rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the agitators, the traders did not lift the road blockade.

Normalcy returned after Swain was released around 2pm. CMC had announced a total ban on the use of polythene in the city and had launched a campaign from June 5. Raids were conducted and huge quantities of polythene was seized.

According to CMC officials, the enforcement was launched following a series of awareness campaigns launched in 2009. Though many people have welcomed the drive against polythene, others continue to use polythene that chokes drains and pollutes the environment.

“Our squad has not misbehaved with anyone. The concerned trader was running his shop without a valid licence,” said CMC commissioner R.N. Nanda.

Addressing a news conference this afternoon, Nanda further said that the trader protested and later fainted to stop his shop from being raided. Moreover, the trader had not complied with repeated requests to stop selling polythene items.

“We will certainly strictly enforce the drive against polythene and will also try to ensure that there is a ban on polythene at the state and national level,” Nanda said.