Trinamool Congress (TMC) members observed a protest outside Parliament against the government's move to completely phase out the Jute Packaging Materials Act, 1987.
According to a new proposed act, the packaging of foodgrains has been reduced to 70 per cent in the first instance, and to zero in the course of next two to three years. But sugar packaging has been exempted from the Act.
Referring to this decision, Trinamool Congress spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP, Derek O'Brien said, "it will affect the lives of three or four lakh jute mill workers and 40 lakh jute growers. The situation is very bad."
He said, a letter has been sent to Union Minister of State for Textiles Santosh Kumar Gangwar by the Chief Minister West Bengal Chief Minsiter Mamata Banerjee.
O'Brien also said that the synthetic packaging should be kept aside and jute bags be used instead, as it is a natural fibre.
The Jute Packaging Materials Act, 1987, provides for 100 per cent reservation for jute bags for the packing foodgrains and sugar by government procurement agencies.
