Enforcement Of Jute Packing Order Urged

The West Bengal government has pressed the Centre to strictly enforce the mandatory jute packaging order on all industries. This move has been taken following reports that the cement industry had been flouting the rules enshrined in the Jute Pack-aging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987.

In a letter to Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda recently, West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu said the cement industry was seeking exemption from the Jute Packaging Materials (Comp-ulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987. While the cement industrys plea has been rejected by the standing advisory committee, the Supreme Court upheld the Act when certain industries challenged it. The jute industry had earlier moved court to seek enforcement of the order. The Centre, however, failed to file an affidavit when the court heard the case on January 8 and 20. The case is adjourned till January 28.

 

Sources, the Cement Manu-facturers Association launched a campaign against the use of jute bags, calling it a sackful of problems. It said packing cement in jute bags was environmentally hazardous. The cement industry stopped using jute bags four years ago.

Reacting to the cement industrys campaign, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Citu) said it was an attempt to frustrate the governments effort to enforce the law.