The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) today re-launched its drive against the use of plastic carry bags in the town.

The chairperson and member of the board of administrators of the civic body, Gautam Deb and Ranjan Sarkar, respectively, hit the markets, along with other corporation officials, to reinforce the campaign today. They visited Bidhan Market, seized some plastic bags, and warned traders against using them in the future.

This is for the first time that Mr Deb visited markets over the issue after becoming the chairperson. With folded hands, he appealed to traders to refrain from using such carry bags. The campaign against plastic carry bags could not be continued due to the coronavirus pandemic, while lack of proper monitoring had led to the use of plastic carry bags in civic body areas being rampant. Raids and widespread campaigns had earlier failed to stop the use of the carry bags in Siliguri.

In an order issued on 24 November 2015, the environment department of the West Bengal government had ordered a ban on plastic carry bags in Siliguri Sub-division. It had banned the use, storing and manufacturing of polythene/plastic carry bags in the town. Following the order, the Left-run SMC had then reinforced the ban.

Plastic/polythene carry bags were banned in the SMC area during the tenure of the Congress-run civic board in 2010 too. The bags, however, resurfaced later. “Plastic carry bags are considered environmental hazards. Traders should use cloth and jute bags instead of plastic bags. We conducted a drive against the plastic bags at Bidhan Market today. More drives will be conducted in other areas.

There will be strict vigilance and steps will be taken to close down sources of the bags. We need the cooperation of the people. We will rope in nature lovers and social organisations to stop the practice. The corporation has seized plastic carry bags and requested the traders to dissuade themselves from using them. Henceforth, they will be penalised if found using the bags,” Mr Deb said.

Plastic carry bags are known to clog drains and they are not biodegradable. The SMC team today visited the fish market, meat shops, and fruit and vegetable markets. An official at the department of the environment at the SMC, Mriganka Dey, said they seized 40 kg of unauthorised plastic carry bags. Siliguri Paribesh Bachao Mancha, an apolitical platform of nature lovers, cultural activists, and academics, had carried out extensive campaigns against such carry bags earlier.

A member of the forum said despite the raids in the markets by the civic body and seizure of plastic bags and imposition of fines and efforts to make people aware, the ban got little success. Mr Sarkar said they had informed market committees not to use plastic carry bags in the markets.

“It is a continuous process, and we will carry out the campaigns and raids against the single-use plastic carry bags,” he said.