THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shopkeepers in Kothuval Street resisted the Corporation’s health squad when they came to seize plastic. This is the first time police force had to intervene even though Mayor V.K. Prasanth had said at the start of the ban in March this year that police support will be sought. Shopkeepers alleged that the corporation officials seized disposable cups and plates, in addition to the banned plastic carry bags. Mohammed Siddique, a shopkeeper, said, “They took disposable cups and plates, as well as cloth bags.” The ‘cloth’ bag is likely to be the non-woven plastic carry bags. Many shops have started using it, perhaps unaware that it is banned as well. A bookshop told DC that they won’t be able to use paper carry bags as books are heavy, while cloth bags are not cheap.
In the first months of the ban, though Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Samiti had said that there would be protests, most shops and people were supportive of the raids. However there was a brief spell of lull in the raids. Plastic carry bags returned to the market during this time. The corporation claimed it had seized 400 kg of plastic and non-woven polypropylene carry bags from six shops on Thursday. On Wednesday as well, 400 kg of plastic bags were seized.
When Kadakampally circle JHI Deepak Kumar was not allowed to complete the raid, police officials from Fort station led by sub-inspector arrived. The raid was conducted by around 30 health officials led by Corporation Health Supervisers P, Dharmapalan, Ushakaran, and Rameshkumar. Mayor V.K. Prasanth said that the raids will be more stringent in the future.
