TURA: The West Garo Hills district administration’s move to ban certain plastic items, particularly the sale of bottled water packaged in plastic containers, is having a serious impact on the public who are facing difficulties in the search for clean drinking water to quench their thirst.
Health officials are also questioning the rationale behind the decision to go for a total ban without putting in place alternative solutions and express worry that there could be a spike in water borne diseases, particularly diarrhea and dysentery, as people consume untreated water at markets and stalls.
While the deputy commissioner, Ram Singh, has denied banning the sale of bottled water in plastic containers maintaining that the public of Tura town were taking it upon themselves to do their bid in eradicating the plastic problem, not all are buying into the story.
Traders and shopkeepers who spoke to The Shillong Times on anonymity allege that the order from the Deputy commissioner clearly mention a ban on the sale of plastic bottled drinking water with threat of Rs 5000 fine on violators. They also complain of harassment from some municipal workers and other administration officials who frequently come and question them on whether they have stopped the sale of bottled drinking water.
“We have not banned the sale of bottled water but people are themselves doing it. We have even set up watering holes in quite a few places, like DC office and super market, and are looking at increasing the numbers soon,” claim deputy commissioner Ram Singh.
While there was initial elation on the decision to ban the use of plastic bottles containing drinking water, people are now gradually beginning to question the move in the face of drinking water shortage in the busy and congested market areas of the town.
Over 90 percent of food stalls located at the six major shopping centres of Tura, namely Araimile, Hawakhana, Chnadmari, Ringrey, Tura bazaar and Nakham Bazar, still do not have any water purifying system in place preferring to depend on water flowing from pipes, plastic and iron, most of which pass through rubbish filled drains and having leakages.
Thousands of people from within the town and from the villages frequent these market joints every day and now have to depend on unsafe water for consumption.
“Before putting a total stop to the sale of packaged drinking water, the administration should have first set up adequate number of water kiosks at all the major market areas for peoples’ convenience. Afterall, everyone cannot afford to bring their own water bottles from far flung villages,” pointed out a group of traders.