Vijayawada: The use of cheap grade plastic covers has become rampant across the city due to the lack of a special monitoring by the officials of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC). Despite having taken a resolution on January 1 this year, the civic body ignored to ban plastic covers. So, traders are freely continuing to sell the cheap recycled plastic bags prohibited by the government.Plastic wastes have become a major problem for the VMC, while two lakh tonnes garbage piled at Ajith Singh Nagar dump yard in the past 10 years is being cleared at a slow pace. Canals in the city are being filled with plastic wastes due to the failure of the civic authorities to curb the use of plastic carry bags across the city.Most of the plastic traders in the city are operating from One town and Bhavanipuram areas. The VMC officials used to raid godowns and seize the plastic bags made below 40 microns. These traders are looking for alternate ways to distribute carry bags directly to their buyers and providing door delivery services.“As many customers ask for plastic carry bags, we are not in the position to stop using it. Using 40-micron carry bags is a costly affair, so we are using recycled bags that are delivered by vendors at cheaper price,” said K Srinu who runs an eatery in night food court at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium (IGMS).People in the city are also unhappy with the measures being taken up by the civic authorities to control the use of carry bags. “Bandaru Lakulu and Eluru Lakulu in the city show how the city is getting trapped in plastic wastes. Water and soil in the city are getting contaminated with plastic wastes. The VMC which passed the resolution to ban plastics is ignoring it,” said K Venkata Naresh, a techie.Officials of the VMC public health wing said that they are keeping an eye on the use of plastic bags and will take stringent action against the traders selling bags below 40 microns.

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