Sale of plastic flower bouquets, garlands banned in Kaski

By Santosh Subedi,Kaski, Nov. 8: Pokhara Metropolitan Municipality (PMC) has banned production, sale, import and export of plastic garlands and plastic flower bouquets.     

Under the leadership of Manju Devi Gurung, Deputy Mayor of the PMC and coordinator of the consumer interest protection committee, 12 shops in Pokhara were monitored and prohibited from selling plastic-made flowers. 

Last year also the metropolis requested not to sell plastic flowers after monitoring the market. 

Rishiram Sapkota, officer at the cooperative industry branch, informed that seven shops that were requested not to sell plastic garlands and flowers last year were fined Rs. 40,000 and the flower garlands worth Rs. 19,910 were confiscated. 

Likewise, Kiran Trade Link of Pokhara -3 was fined Rs. 5,000 and flower garlands worth Rs. 8,500 were seized, Sudha Pooja Store of Mahendrapul, Pokhara, was fined Rs. 5,000 and flower garlands worth Rs. 3,000 were confiscated.

Similarly, Sapkota informed that Khalsa Gift House of Pokhara-3 was fined Rs. 5,000 and flower garlands worth Rs. 650 were seized. A fine of Rs. 5,000 was imposed on Namo Shivaya Pooja Materials Store Pokhara-9, while Sweet and Chart Restaurant in Pokhara-1 was fined Rs. 5,000 for selling unhealthy sweets. 

Five other shops were instructed not to sell and store plastic flower bouquets and garlands in the future.

Deputy Mayor Manju Devi Gurung, Metropolitan Economic Development Division Chief Manhar Kadaria, District Administration Office Administrative Officer Mukunda Raj Paudel, Cooperative and Industry Branch Chief Bharat Raj Poudel, Quality and Weights Office Representative Bipin Puri, Metropolitan Forest and Environment Expert Santosh Bhattrai, Metropolitan Food Inspector Smita Paudel, Metropolitan Cooperative Industry Branch Officer Rishiram Sapkota were in the monitoring team. 

Gurung said that the monitoring was done because the plastic materials could impact the environment. 

"We have monitored because the business of plastic flowers increases during the festival. We have seized plastic-flower garlands along with fines from some traders who were alerted last year," she said. 

Manohar Kadaria, chief of Metropolitan Economic Development Division, said that small to wholesale shops were monitored. The ban was imposed because plastic materials are imported from outside Nepal and will affect the economy and also have a negative impact on human life.