Just two days previously, a monitoring team deployed by Ministry of Science Technology and Environment (MoSTE) had intervened and warned the vendors not to offer plastic bags to their customers. The team had even seized their bags, tussling with the vendors in the process. However, any effort to impose the law has had little effect. For the people, the ban is impractical as there is no feasible alternative.
"We understand that the government's move is for a better environment. However, just think, what do we do when customers come to us without a bag? We simply cannot refuse to sell vegetables to them or tell them to come back with bags made out of cloth," explained Sushma Maharjan, 20, a vender at the market.
As soon as she completed her explanation, Maharjan packed a kilogram of tomato in a plastic bag and handed it over to her customer. The customer left the market place swinging the bag of tomatoes as he veered left towards the main entrance and disappeared.
Mohan Prasad Gupta, a fish seller inside Kalimati bazaar, is even more critical of the government's move. He feels that he simply cannot do without plastic bags. "We sell fish. Can we sell it in paper?" he asked.
"If government really wants to ban plastic bags, they should shutdown the factories and end its manufacture at once. Can it do so? ,"Gupta further challenged.
Meanwhile, Binay Shrestha, deputy director general of Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development board, also termed the total ban on plastic as an 'impractical idea' at least regarding vegetable sales. He added that things would work only if the government could first come up with feasible alternative in order to fully end the plastic bag culture.
"Vegetables start to rot if the vendors fail to sell their items on time. They cannot afford to lose their customers by telling them to come back with a bag made out of cloth. Moreover, people rarely agree to buy clothe bags when plastic bags are available easily," said Shrestha.
In a bid to discourage people from using plastic bags, the government has been suggesting people form the habit of carrying bags made out of paper, cloth and jute. However, such bags are comparatively expensive, ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 70 and up.
However, Deputy Director General at Department of Environment (DoE), Rup Narayan Bhandari, stated that people are already in the habit of using plastic bags and it will take time to change this.
"Ban on plastic bag, after all, is to improve the city's environment. Moreover, now there are alternative bags available in the market and we hope that people will ultimately switch to those," said Bhandari.
As per the law, people are completely prohibited from using plastic bags less than 40 micron thick.
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