Sakleshpur Town Municipal Council president SD Adarsh said the council used all means, ‘including force’, to curb the use of polythene bags.
This small coffee plantation town in the Western Ghats has shown the way in controlling the pollution caused by plastic bags, thanks to the diligent efforts by the authorities and citizens.
Sakleshpur Town Municipal Council president SD Adarsh said the council used all means, ‘including force’, to curb the use of polythene bags.
The authorities claim that they achieved a 100% ban on polythene bags without slapping fine on a single trader.
However, health inspector SS Manjunath told DNA that it was not an easy task as they had faced opposition from traders, especially those selling coffee, spices and chilly. But the authorities remained firm and traders were told to make alternative arrangements.
Today, no trader in Sakleshpur stocks polythene bags. Devananda Kamath, a shopkeeper, claims he has paid heavily for stocking plastic bags and has incurred a loss of more than Rs10,000.
Adarsh told DNA that the plastic bags had become an eyesore and even coffee estates were not free from it. Moreover, they flew everywhere and even caused driving hazards. “This was when the town council decided to put an end to the polythene menace,” he added.
Anand Gowda, a tour operator promoting Sakleshpur’s plantation home-stays, said the town had seen a rise in tourist arrivals ever since it figured in the Kannada blockbuster movie Mungaru Male, and in order to sustain the tourist inflow it needs to be kept clean.
Plans are afoot to open a paper bag unit in the town by providing venture capital to youth and Stree Shakti groups.
Environment and ecology minister J Krishna Palemar said he would press for a special commendation for the Sakleshpur Town Municipality. He said Udupi City Municipality, too, has achieved good progress in controlling the polythene bag menace.
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