A 55-year-old vendor who sells vegetables at Mohanbati Market, the largest marketplace of Raiganj town, has emerged as a role model for other vendors and shopkeepers of the market with his unique initiative to discourage people from using plastic carry bags.

From July 1, the Centre as well as the state government has banned the use of plastic carry bags below 75 micron in width to curb pollution.As Saradindu Das, the vendor who resides in Indira Colony of Raiganj came to know about the ban, he took up the task to encourage people who buy vegetables from them to follow the ban.

“My son, who is a BEd student, told me how plastic carry bags are polluting our environment as they are non-biodegradable. I realised the importance of the ban and since July 1, stopped selling vegetables to people who carry or ask for plastic bags,” said the vendor.

Over the past 10 days or so, other vendors who have stalls next to Saradindu’s place, were surprised to see him blatantly turning away customers carrying plastic bags or asking for them.

“There are some people who need vegetables in small quantities or suddenly plan to visit the market while returning from somewhere and don’t have with them the usual bags for vegetables. These people mostly carry a plastic bag or ask for one. I stopped selling vegetables to them,” he added.

Then, Saradindu came up with another plan for these customers. He started keeping nylon bags at his stall. Anybody buying vegetables from him but does not having a bag to carry the stuff can take a nylon bag from him against a “security deposit” of Rs 10.

“A person buying vegetables of Rs 50 or Rs 100 often finds buying a bag an unnecessary expenditure. That is why I came up with this option. I offer them a bag they can return it to me in seven or 10 days and take back the security deposit,” Saradindu said.

His initiatives encouraged other vendors to completely stop keeping plastic carry bags.“Some of us were stealthily keeping the carry bags as customers would ask for them. But we stopped, especially after seeing his (Saradindu) efforts,” said a vendor.

Representatives of the local trade body have planned to highlight Saradindu’s efforts with publicity campaigns across the town on the ban using him as a role model. “There are hundreds of vegetable vendors across Raiganj town. But what this man has done is exemplary. He deserves appreciation. We have planned to launch a campaign so that people enforce the ban on their own. Saradindu will be projected as a role model during the campaign,” said Atanubandhu Lahiri, secretary, Raiganj Merchants’ Association.