Invasive polybags all around

DESPITE a ban on the manufacturing and use of polythene bags, unscrupulous traders have been marketing substantial quantities of the banned items openly violating the law. The influx of polythene shopping bags in the recent years makes one wonder whether the traders enjoyed some kind of protection from certain quarters in the environmental administration as well as law enforcing agencies. The ban was imposed in 2002 to save our environment from the onslaught of the non-biodegradable material that found their way to city drains and storm sewers, thereby blocking normal flow of waste water. Polybags have also clogged river and canal beds, threatening normal breeding of life forms in water.
We recall that the awareness raising drive that came with the ban had worked well with people spontaneously switching over to shopping bags made of biodegradable materials, like paper, jute etc. But, once the initial hullabaloo had died down, manufacturers of polybags came back with renewed vigour to carry on with their business.
It is disconcerting that a good number of manufacturers of jute and paper shopping bags are facing steep competition from the traders of illegal polybags, as there is no government agency in the field to clamp down on the violators. There is no denying that already a lot of damage has been done to our environment, hence the message should go loud and clear to the polythene traders that the government means business this time and that no one will be spared for damaging the environment. At the same time, relevant government agencies and financing organisations should encourage cottage industry and laid-off jute mills to produce environment-friendly shopping bags. It is noteworthy that the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation has launched a drive to make jute bags popular in the country.
It is time all stakeholders became fully aware of the severe impact of polythene on health and environment and acted concertedly to end the menace. The people in general would opt for biodegradable shopping bags once these were made available abundantly and at affordable prices. Hence, the onus rests on the government to ensure that such alternatives are made available to the people. We believe, it would take good measure of inter-ministerial cooperation and coordination to reach the environmental objective.