Vendors unsure of plastic alternatives

Mumbai: The deadline for disposing of the existing stock of plastic ended on Saturday. However, shopkeepers across city are still struggling with the alternative bags made of cotton and jute. They have urged the Brihan-mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to put up a list of manufacturers of such alternatives in and around markets so that they have an easy access to the list.

Almost all general stores at the market area in Mulund west had stock of paper bags with notices like — ‘plastic bags are not allowed’, ‘carry your own plastic bag’ put up at the entrance. “We have a stock of paper bags as of now and are arranging cloth bags too. Custo-mers come to us saying they forgot to carry plastic bags and ask for paper bags because of which we are running out of them,” said Ramesh Sawant, owner of a general store at Mulund.

“We understand that the BMC has given us time to arrange for the alternative carry bags, however we hardly know any manufacturers or suppliers of cotton or jute bags. It would be helpful if a list is distributed among the shopkeepers. They can also put the list in the central places where all can see it,” said Praveen Dhule, a shopkeeper at Dadar Market.

Meanwhile, the BMC has stated that it had already uploaded list of manufacturers on its website.

“Around 78 manufacturers of jute bags have been registered with the BMC, the list is available on the official website. We are also publicising exhibition so that more shopkeepers can clear their doubts,” said

Nidhi Chaudhari, deputy municipal commissioner of the BMC.