SRINAGAR: Despite blanket ban imposed on the use of polythene bags in Srinagar city, the shopkeepers and vendors continue to violate the orders.
Srinagar drainage authority wing blames use of polythene as the main reason of blockade of drains.
Shopkeepers in many areas including Batamaloo market, Maisuma, Qamarwari, Parimpora Bus Stand and other markets continue to defy orders.
In 2018, Jammu and Kashmir High Court had ordered ban on use of polythene in J&K.
“Officials working for various municipal departments are responsible to ensure that the ban was effectively implemented. Any failure to do so would result in adequate punishment for the officers responsible,” read the HC
order then.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation claimed that they have seized more than 15 quintals of polythene from Srinagar markets till October 2019 in anti polythene raid, official said all the polythene here is being been transported
from either Jammu or other states as in the valley there is no manufacturing unit.
While as official at Drainage wing of Srinagar Municipal Corporation said polythene is the main reason of drainage blockade. “Plastic bags and polythene is being thrown openly on roads which causes blockade of drains and
whenever it rain or snows, lanes get inundated with water and one can’t even think of stepping out of home as there is very low capacity in drains and drains are not able to carry water and people face water loggings,” he
said.
“Whenever we do de-siltation on drains, we only found polythene there, every time we request people as well as concern authority to take proper step so that this menace will stop properly,” official further said
The people associated with this trade which includes fruit vendors, street vendors, and shopkeepers said the ban cannot be implemented here.
“We are using thin polythene which is easily decomposable and cannot affect environment. What else can we use?” said a group of shopkeepers.

NAZIMA SIDIQ