Ban on plastics welcomed
Osai, a voluntary organisation propagating environment protection, has welcomed the ban on disposable plastic items the Coimbatore Corporation announced at its Council meeting on Monday.Osai president K. Kalidas has said in a press release that it was time that the ban was imposed to save the environment from the menace of plastics, especially those that were non-biodegradable and could not be recycled. “We whole-heartedly welcome the ban. But, it should be extended to the areas surrounding the city,” he said.Mr. Kalidas pointed out that mere imposition of a ban would not bring the desired results.People should be sensitised to the dangers posed by plastics. “Commercial establishments should also be environment-conscious. Coimbatore could turn into a model city, if all sections co-operated in making the ban a success, he said.The presence of a huge amount of non-recyclable plastic waste in the soil actually thwarted the natural process of the bio-degradable waste turning into manure. Besides, chlorine content in plastic waste posed a major health hazard.When this waste was set fire to, it generated dioxins that could even cause cancer.Managing Trustee of Siruthuli Vanita Mohan said that the onus of making the ban a success was now on the people. Welcoming the ban, she said: “People’s response is important, as a ban alone will not help".
“The use and dumping of plastic bags can happen on the sly despite the ban”. Shops said that people were asking for extra plastic bags when they purchased items. This situation should change. The Residents’ Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) also has welcomed the ban, saying that it will be of immense help in ridding the city of non-recyclable plastics. Association vice-president G. Soundararajan said in a press release that the ban on plastics was one of the main demands placed before the councillors at a function organised by RAAC to felicitate them on their being elected to the Corporation Council last year.
