‘Revoke plastic ban at stations’
Backing railway stall owners, social activist Medha Patkar on Wednesday criticised the Central Railway’s (CR) move to ban sale of food items in plastic material, and has demanded that the ban be revoked.
“We are of the opinion that railway stations must be plastic-free, but this is not the right way. The ban is imposed only for the Mumbai division, while all other divisions have been exempted. The move will cause inconvenience to both consumers and stall owners. The CR’s decision will not serve any purpose as passengers will bring food items from outside the station premises,” Ms Patkar told this newspaper, adding, “The catering policy of the railways does not mention any ban on such products.”
According to the social activist, stall owners earn around 50 per cent of their revenue by selling packed products, with around 20 to 25 workers working at these stalls. “It is also the question of their livelihood,” she said.
Food items packed in plastic wrappings, laminated plastics, metalised film packets, sulphite paper-packing and aluminum foil packing have been banned. Accordingly, CR has banned products like biscuits, cakes, chips and namkeens. Passengers on the CR line will not get food products from Britannia, Parle, Monginis, Lays, Haldiram’s, Lehar Kurkure etc — all of which, come in plastic packaging. The move aims to make stations plastic-free so that people refrain from throwing wrappers and packets on the tracks and platforms.
According to CR, the move will check environmental pollution at
stations and will also reduce the possibility of waterlogging during monsoons.
The stall owners have decided to approach the CR administration to revoke the ban.
“A majority of the plastic waste is thrown from long-distance trains and the ban on selling products will lead to huge losses. We demand immediate revoking of the ban,” said a stall owner, requesting anonymity.
Major stations such as Kurla, Ghatkopar, Wadala and Dadar are currently plastic-free.
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