By: SM ShahbazPATNA: Even as the state government seeks to bring behavioural changes among people by banning plastic carry bags, the comparatively higher prices of environment-friendly carry bags and possibility of demand-supply mismatch of such bags have emerged as the two biggest challenges in implementing the ban.Though the ban on use of plastic carry bags has already come into force, those found guilty of violating the ban will be penalised from December 23.According to experts, the development of an alternative economy based on manufacture of cloth, jute and paper carry bags should coincide with behavioural changes among people.Avinash Mohanty, director, centre for environment, energy and climate change at the Asian Development Research Institute-Patna, said, “The ban on plastic carry bags will encourage entrepreneurial activities and result in development of an environment-friendly carry bag industry in the state. Once the industrial units start manufacturing such bags, the demand-supply mismatch will automatically end.”Mohanty said carry bags made of cloth, jute and paper are manufactured at very few places in the state, resulting in demand-supply mismatch. “Since cloth bags are coming to the state from Ranchi and Jamshedpur in Jharkhand , the transportation charges are also included and people have to pay higher prices to buy them,” he added.According to most street vendors, customers are unwilling to pay additional cost of carry bags made of cloth, jute and paper.Vivek Kumar, who runs a medicine shop on Station Road said, “Though plastic carry bags were causing pollution, they were cheaper. Cloth bags are available at Rs 200 per kg. When we try to pass on the additional cost to consumers, they simply refuse to pay.”Bablu Alam, who runs a chicken shop near Jagdeopath, said, “I have bought cloth carry bags at Rs 2 per piece. The plastic carry bags, on the other hand, were available at 50 paise per piece. There is also a huge scarcity of cloth bags in the market. The suppliers have assured the retailers of making cloth bags available soon.”Surendra Singh, conservator of forest-cum-additional secretary of department of environment, forest and climate change, said the market would readjust with the change soon. “More supply of cloth and jute bags will ease the scenario,” he added.

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