Storm in teacup: Whose fault is using plastic containers, anyway?

Navin Bothra,
Kankurgachhi

Before imposing any kind of penalty on vendors for using plastic containers, the government should undertake a massive awareness drive. Education is the only means of fighting the problem. The drive should be multi-level, involving the media, educational institutions, social organisations and companies. The support of celebrities will garner more attention. Even puja committees can play a role.

Saurabh dhanuka,
Salt Lake

Obviously, vendors using plastic containers should be penalised. Shopkeepers and store-owners in shopping malls, too, should be hauled up if they are found to use plastic containers. Keeping food items in plastic containers can cause several diseases. Many people throw plastic on the road thus blocking the drains, which in turn leads to water-borne diseases. It is high time for the government to act.

Nidhi Poddar,
Salt Lake

The vendors and hawkers must be penalised under Section 188 of the IPC, which deals with flouting of an order by a public servant. But to what extent these uneducated and poor people can be blamed is debatable? The government should ideally take action against manufacturers and distributors of plastic or come up with a pocket-friendly alternative.

Rahul Roy,
Dum Dum

Vendors should not be blamed for the spread of the plastic menace as it is the customers who keep asking for plastic containers. The vendors have no choice but to satisfy the demands of the customers. The government has failed in providing an adequate substitute for plastic containers. Paper bags provided by some shops are useless for carrying heavy loads. Penalising vendors will prove fruitless.

Shiv Shanker Almal,
Lower Rawdon Street

Not only plastic containers, plastic cups and thin plastic bags should be banned.

Vinay Shreshtha,
Salkia

Vendors should certainly be penalised for violating the norms set by the government, which has looked helpless in tackling the plastic problem. Plastic containers, if used, must be recyclable.

Subhankar Mandal,
Palta

Vendors should not be penalised for using plastic containers. If the government punishes vendors, it should also take to task their customers. If plastic products are banned, shoppers will face great problems. The government must first come up with an alternative for plastic.

Shilpa Raisurana,
Address not given

The vendors should be penalised for using plastic containers that do not meet the government stipulation. Recycling plastic is very difficult. It decomposes slowly. Burning plastic releases toxic fumes that pollute the environment.

T.R. Anand,
Budge Budge

Vendors should be penalised for using plastic containers as they cause a great harm to human beings. The drainage system gets clogged by plastic products. There should be a total ban on use of plastic. Developed countries have introduced such prohibitions years back. Why not introduce paper parcels?

Saptarshi Das,
Sinthee

Vendors should be penalised for using plastic containers. Until the vendors stop using plastic containers, the customers will keep asking for them.

H .K. dutta,
Shibpur

There can be absolutely no doubt in any sensible and farsighted person’s mind that plastic containers should be banned totally. Their continued use will lead to disastrous consequences in the near future. We have already seen this rainy season how plastic can hurt us. This, however, does not imply that only vendors are responsible for the proliferation of plastic. They, and their customers, need to be penalised heavily. The administration should also take to task manufacturers of plastic containers.