12 January,2010 11:05 AM IST | | Debarti Palit
The next time you go shopping don't forget to carry your cloth bags; or else you may just end up carrying the items in your hands.
After the government banned the use of plastic bags, most shops are refusing to give any kind of bags, including paper bags. While some shopkeepers make excuses like 'paper bags are not available in the market,' others say, 'we have ordered them, they are yet to come'.
The real reason is that paper bags cost Rs 2 a piece, as compared to a 50 paisa plastic bag.
Pankaj Suryakant Shah, Manager, Geeta Stationary, Sukrawar Peth, said, "It's not possible to give paper bags as they are expensive. The margin between the costs of paper and plastic is large."
But the banning of plastic bags has given some positive hope to paper bag manufacturers. Nitin Gogate, owner, Aniruddha Handmade Papers and Products, admits that they have started getting a large number of enquiries in the last one month.
Gitanjali Kanspure, Gitanjali Handmade Paper and Products said, "The number of enquiries has gone up by 50%. Even though it's a good opportunity for paper bag industry, the cost factor is a big hindrance."
