Mumbai, Apr 3 (KNN) The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) recently began shutting down the units involved in manufacturing plastic bags and other items after the state government’s directive, following which the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) involved in the sector have raised worries.

Talking to KNN, Rakesh Surana, Vice President of Vidarbha Plastic industries Association (VPIA) said that the ban is going to have a severe impact on the livelihood of the people involved in plastic manufacturing.

He informed that there are people who have taken loans to get their units established; now a sudden ban is going throw them out of business.

“One of my friend recently opened up a unit investing 5 crores of which a major chunk is obtained as loan from the bank, now the government says plastic is ban, how will he unit owner repay the loans”, Surana said.

He further said that instead of going for the ban the government should have considered coming up with a recycling model for the state.

Surana raised that an overnight directive and ban is going to do no good since on one hand the government is banning it in Maharashtra and on the other hand plastic from other states are allowed to move freely into the state.

Earlier, the pollution control board in a press statement reiterated that it is going to implement the ban seriously. The power and water connection will be disconnected if the units are found violating the ban, the statement added. (KNN/DA)