Exasperated by consumers demanding plastic bags to carry purchased items, representatives of the street vendors association requested the BBMP to immediately issue a public service advertisement urging people to carry cotton or jute bags to shop.
“Why does the government impose fines only on street vendors using plastic? The customers themselves demand plastic bags. Primarily, awareness should be created among them,” said Vijayalakshmi, a street vendors association representative during the meeting held by the waste management committee on Monday, as per the National Green Tribunal's directions.
Vijayalakshmi asked the palike to issue an advertisement about creating awareness. Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun has agreed to issue the same. She suggested the street vendors could have cotton or jute bags handy and charge reasonably as well.
When a Malleswaram resident raised a question as to why the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is allowing the manufacture of plastics in the city, Justice Subhash Adi, chairman of the NGT's state-level committee said plastic manufacturing units are on the outskirts, not in BBMP limits. He said fines are imposed on plastic producers and users within BBMP limits.
Many residents from Bengaluru West complained of several black spots. “The roads in wards 35 and 65 are dotted with black spots. Despite several complaints, no action has been taken by the area BBMP officials,” said Kaushik, member of Ranganathapuram Residents Welfare Association. Former Mayor Padmavathi complained that residents of all the zones except the West are co-operating with civic bodies and elected representatives in waste management. She emphasised that waste should be segregated at source.