Rajkot September 25: Rajkot Plastic Manufacturers Association (PMA) held a silent rally on Wednesday to protest against the proposed blanket ban on single-use plastic by the city Municipal Corporation (MC). With more than 300 units in Rajkot engaged in the plastic manufacturing business, the municipal body has banned all items of single-use plastic which includes polythene bags, plastic dishes, spoons, straws, teacups among a host of other such use and throw items.

"Banning plastic is not the only solution. Whatever will be used as a replacement of single-use plastic will also be harmful to the environment in some other way. The government should, therefore, find means on how to recycle plastic and so it is not our protest rally but more or less awareness rally about the truth," said Paresh Ganatra, an office-bearer of the association. Plastic Ban in Karnataka: Eateries, Manufacturers and People Using Any Form of Plastic to Be Fined.

The silent rally was started form the Race Course and went on to the Municipal Corporation via Yagnik Road and Trikon Baug."The consumption of plastic per person is 130 kg in foreign countries but in India, it is only 12 kilogram per person yet the government is thinking to ban it, this is not fair," claimed Utsav Doshi, a local manufacturer.

Another participant in the rally said that they are protesting in hope that the authority comes up with a better policy. The association is likely to meet Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to draw his attention towards the issues of the plastic manufacturing industry.