Central Railway authorities have decided to promote snacks like popcorn, chana, chana jor garam and peanuts that can be packed into paper bags. The decision comes to boost its efforts to stop food being sold in plastic containers, which then cause dangerous, toxic litter that cannot be recycled.
“For now, just to start with, we will buy popcorn machines at two Jan Aahar outlets at CST, and they will be packed and sold in paper bags,” said V.A. Malegaonkar, chief public relations officer, CR.
After the initiative picks up steam, the CR will initiate counselling sessions for stall owners asking them to keep only those snacks that can be sold in paper bags. “There are around 200 stall owners and we will brief them about the need for plastic-free tracks and stations,” Mr Malegaonkar 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, which need to be packed in such material. Hence, passengers on CR will not get food products from usual brands like Britannia, Parle, Monginis, Lays, Haldiram’s, Lehar Kurkure, etc, all of which come in plastic packaging. The CR’s move aims to make stations plastic-free, wherein people will refrain from discarding wrappers and packets on the tracks and platforms.
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Singhania yacht flouted customs rules, seized
AGE CORRESPONDENT
Mumbai, June 1
A luxury yacht of Raymond’s chairman and managing director Gautam Singhania was seized by the customs intelligence unit of the customs department on Friday.
The luxury yacht, MY Ashena, is entirely constructed out of Burma teak wood by traditional boat builders based in Gujarat. According to sources, this tri-deck yacht had taken exemptions under the import rules after it was constructed. Later, the customs officials realised that the customs rules had actually been flouted.
After construction, the yacht had been registered in a foreign country. Now, as per shipping regulations, any foreign flagged vessel has only a limited time duration to anchor or berth the vessel at the ports of India.
The luxurious craft has now been seized on the grounds of violation of import norms of Indian Customs and an inquiry into the matter has been launched.
Apart from the MY Ashena, Mr Singhania also owns other yachts Moonraker and Shazma, and four speedboats named after the James Bond movie series. Two other speedboats of his are named the Smokin Joe and Raymond. He is also the person who formed the first ever supercar club in India. His other prized possession includes a Challenger 604 business jet and three helicopters.