Traders protest move to ban plastic products in Puducherry

The Puducherry Plastic Manufacturers and Traders Association has appealed to the territorial government to refrain from adopting a ban on plastics from March 1, saying the move would affect several workers and throw out of gear industries functioning here.

A release from the association said the government had announced its decision to impose a ban from March 1 and the move would dislocate around 30,000 workers engaged directly or indirectly and would also throw out of gear industries functioning in Puducherry.

Disputing the contention of the government that plastics posed a threat to environment, the association said the proposed ban would only encourage corporate bodies having business network in Puducherry.

Urging the government to constitute a high powered committee to look into the issue, it said pending availability of the report of the committee there should be no ban on the production of plastic products in the Union Territory.

"The ban targets only the local industrial units while corporate sending their packages from other States would not come under the ban," the Association alleged.