Failed drives

In yet another instance of showing presence within the markets, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to start a fresh anti-polythene drive to act against the norm violators. However, one fails to understand when the SMC shall be able to control the situation as it always leaves the drive halfway, thus simultaneously allowing the norm violators to go ahead with the breaches. There are several instances when the concerned authorities launched such drives to curb the norm violation, but couldn’t control the situation on the ground as it always remained a show of couple of days in Srinagar. The use of polythene bags continues unabated and there have been no appropriate measures in dissuading people from the usage or sale of polythene bags. Ironically, the fragile environment of health resorts and other places still reel under the threat posed by the non-biodegradable products. The authorities concerned don’t bother to end the use of polythene once for all, but launch a drive just for a day or two and impose fines on the poor street vendors and the passersby to show that the action is being taken. However, the necessary actions continue to elude from the ground. Besides acting against the shopkeepers, street vendors and passerby, there is a need to identify the wholesalers and dealers of the polythene shops and curb the selling from there, which would help in reducing the use of polythene. Taking one sided measures would never bring a fruitful result, there is a need to come up with solid and meaningful measures to put an end to the use of polythene once for all.