CHENNAI: Major markets and bus stands in the state will have cloth bag (manjappai) vending machines. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has decided to install 50 such machines.
R Kannan, member-secretary of TNPCB said that around 100 bag vending machines have already been installed across the state.
"However, such vending machines are installed by corporate firms under corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. The 50 machines will be installed using TNPCB funds. The machines will be installed in bus stands and markets, " he added.
Presently, the bag vending machines are installed in Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex (KWMC) also. As per TNPCB data, Chennai has 10 bag vending machines.
Women self help groups (SHG) have been given the opportunity to produce the bags. Public can get the cloth bags by inserting a Rs. 10 coin or note. The newly proposed vending machines will have a capacity of 500 cloth bags each.
The cloth bag vending machines are a part of Meendum Manjappai campaign which was launched by chief minister MK Stalin to put forth an alternative to one-time use of plastic bags.
Under the campaign, more than 12.69 lakh raids have been conducted across the state against single-use plastic items and seized 2,146 tonnes of plastic items. In Chennai, more than 8.77 lakh raids were conducted and 448 tonnes of plastic items have been seized.