‘Officials’ laxity taking toll on people-centric GOs’

Multiple visits by DT Next and interactions with Chennaiites had revealed that the government orders on plastic ban passed on January this year, 24 hours work schedule for firms issued last month and reduction in parking lot charges order issued in December 2017 is yet to be implemented in letter and spirit.

The state on January 1, 2019, became the fourth state in India to pass a total ban on plastics and there were seizures and raids for the first few weeks, but now plastic carry bags and plastic glasses have regained their position in the city markets and Tasmac liquor shops.

“Despite the state government passing a Government Order in December 2017 fixing 10 (for two and three-wheelers) and 20 (for four-wheelers) as parking ticket charges in movie theatres, the rule is not followed by many multiplexes,” alleged activist Aarani C Sreenivasan of Egmore.

Moviegoers also admit about the increased parking charges going unchecked in most of the theatres located in commercial areas of Chennai. “I paid Rs 60 for parking in a theatre located in Central Chennai. When I raised the issue, the theatre security said that the parking was full and asked me to park the car outside. Left with no option I paid extra despite remembering the government announcement on parking rates,” said A Prabakar, who owns an eat out.

“The plastic ban was brought for the entire state, but the restrictions are followed only in Ooty and a few shops in Chennai have shifted to cotton bags. The government order just made headlines, but there are no encouraging results,” said K Brinda, an ecologist based in Tiruchy.

“Our president T Vellaiyan of Tamil Nadu Traders Federation had openly expressed that the government order passed by the state only benefits the corporates. The police are not allowing to run the tea shops and small eat outs,” said K Rajan of Choolai Traders Association. Even last Saturday the police warned the petty shop owners not to keep the shop open beyond 11 pm, the trader fumed.

When contacted on the status of implementing the GOs, a senior government official explained that the state’s policy has been adopted and it takes some time for the policies to take shape, however, the issue will be taken up with the concerned government secretaries, the top official added.