Lashing out against the plastic boycott campaign to be implemented from January 1, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithy Chalai-Kothuval Bazaar unit said that the City Corporation and the State Government should provide enough time for them to clear the current stock of plastics in their possession.
“Still the picture is not clear whether total ban or control of plastic bag is meant. We feel that measures such as picketing the shops that sell plastic would worsen the situation,” Mohammed Sidheek, general secretary of the KVVES unit, said.
There are orders from the State Government, Supreme Court and Central Government allowing sale of plastic carry bags above 40 microns. At Maveli stores, Triveni, Supplyco, Neethi stores and hospitals plastic carry bags are used. Whether ban would be imposed on these institutions is also not clarified, the Samithy said.
Aiming to curtail the overuse of plastic carry bags on various periods, permission had been granted to use plastic bags of 40 microns and above. A four percent tax imposed on carry bags was raised to 20 percent from this year. “What to do with the amount traders have remitted as tax remains unanswered,” Sidheek said.