Launched by Minister Pankaja Munde 3 months ago, cloth bag vending machine at Pune temple remains non-functional

Indian Express

a day ago

A vending machine for cloth bags was installed at the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple in Maharashtra's Pune on the occasion of World Environment Day in May. Insert a Rs 10 coin into the slot and wait for the machine to send out a cloth bag. Instead of the bags, the coin pops out. In some cases, the coin remains stuck inside. The white cloth bags lie neatly stacked behind the glass of the machine, and the ambitious aim of helping reduce plastic pollution is unfulfilled.
'It does not work,' says a security guard outside the temple. Various shopkeepers and locals agree, 'Yeh band pada hai (This is not functional)'.
The vending machine that was launched by Maharashtra Environment and Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde today stands quiet, not serving the purpose it was intended for, displaying images and punchlines, such as 'Say No to Plastic, Yes to Cloth Bags', amid the bustling crowd at the temple. Devotees buy sweets, coconuts, flowers, and other offerings from sellers and wrap them in plastic packets.
'There is a high use of plastic bags at religious sites. With options, such as cloth bag vending machines, we can contribute to environmental conservation,' Munde had said during the inauguration ceremony that was attended by Madhuri Misal, Minister of State for Urban Development of Maharashtra, and MLA Hemant Rasane. The initiative to install the machine was aligned with the Central Government's plan to ban single-use plastic.
'I have never seen the vending machine dispensing cloth bags. If the machine had functioned, it could have reduced plastic waste. A number of devotees are aware of the advantages of cloth bags over single-use plastic. People often come to my shop to buy cloth bags to carry prasad. Our stock of cloth bags runs out fast. I tell them to go to the machine, and they answer that it is not working,' says Ashwini Prasad Khadke, who runs the shop, Khadi Gramodyog Kendra, opposite the vending machine.
Khadke adds that she has tried to use the vending machine two times because she had to pack things for her parents. 'It was not functioning,' she says.
At the Donation Counter of the temple, an officer, who did not wish to be named, said that the monsoon rainwater might have entered the machine. 'It seems to have broken down 15-20 days ago,' he says.
According to Prashant Golait, manager of Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple Trust, people do not know how to use the machine, causing breakdowns. He says that the machine functions at times. 'One must insert a coin and then press a button. Here, we see that people do the opposite, as a result of which the coin gets stuck. Many people who come to the temple have not seen a vending machine before.'
Significantly, there is no awareness-building exercise to popularise the machine or help people use it. Many devotees either do not notice the machine or are ignorant of its operations.
Golait says that he informs the company responsible for the upkeep of the machine every time it stops. The technicians come within two days to carry out repairs. 'For the last 15 days, the machine has not been working properly, though,' he says.
Thousands of people come to the temple every day, with the number expected to reach one lakh during the Ganeshotsav festival. 'We cannot say how many people use plastic. Shopkeepers use plastic as their priority is to sell their goods. People carry things back home in plastic packets and discard them. The plastic bags end up blocking drains, affecting water flow, and impacting the environment. Cloth bags are environment-friendly,' says Golait.
Dipanita Nath is interested in the climate crisis and sustainability. She has written extensively on social trends, heritage, theatre and startups. She has worked with major news organizations such as Hindustan Times, The Times of India and Mint. ... Read More