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Nov 14, 2023

Tamil Nadu: Cloth Bag Vending Machines Installed At Public Places to Prevent Use of Plastic

Even though the Indian government has banned single-use plastic items, India is

Even though the Indian government has banned single-use plastic items, India is the fifth-highest producer of plastic in the world. According to data, as many as twenty states and Union territories have a complete ban on single-use plastic while 5 states have a partial one.

The alternatives available at stores instead of single-use plastic bags include paper and cloth bags that are either free or come at a price. One more feasible alternative to single-use plastic bags is the Manjapai (yellow cloth bag).

In a noble initiative, cloth bag vending machines have been set up in Tamil Nadu in an attempt to make eco-friendly bags available in public places at affordable prices. The vending machine dispenses a cloth bag on inserting a Rs 10 coin.

Additionally, in collaboration with the Kanchipuram District Administration, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board is setting up machines to provide yellow bags for Rs 10 rupees in order to create awareness among the public to bring back the use of yellow bags and to stop the use of plastic bags.

To make Kanchipuram a plastic-free district, Cloth bag dispensing machines have been installed in major temples as well. The inaugural ceremony of Manjapai (yellow cloth bag) vending machines was held at the Ekambaranathar Temple and the Varadaraja Perumal Temple compounds in the presence of Kanchipuram District Collector Ma.Arthi and MP K. Selvam.

In an exclusive interview with News18 local news, District Collector Arthi said that various awareness programs are being organized to prevent the people of the Kanchipuram district from using plastic. The machine will be installed at marketplaces and bus stands to slowly weed out plastic bags.

"It's called a ‘Manjapai Vending Machine’ because it dispenses a yellow cloth bag (Manjapai) which is usually used at various ceremonies in Tamil Nadu. We need to get away from the idea that we can use something just once and throw it away, it is this convenient habit that is killing the planet," Arthi said.