‘Manjappai’ vending machines installed at Madurai Bench of Madras High Court

MADURAI

In a bid to encourage use of the traditional ‘manjappai’ ( yellow cloth bag) and discourage the use of harmful single use plastic products, five manjappai vending machines and one reverse vending machine to dispose of plastic bottles were installed at the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday.

Inaugurating the initiative, Administrative Judge Justice R. Mahadevan said this was a novel initiative to revive the use of manjappai, which was traditionally used on various occasions. He said manjappai vending machines would be installed on the Madurai District Court campus too.

Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department, Supriya Sahu said the initiative was to make the campus free of single use plastic products. She said the initiative would help self-help groups. Tamil Nadu was a pioneer in environment conservation.

In order to curb the use of single use plastic products, over 10 lakh inspections had been conducted across the State and around 188 manufacturing units were issued closure order. A total fine of ₹12 crore was collected, she said.

Additional Advocate General Veera Kathiravan said the manjappai was strongly rooted in Tamil culture and was used as ‘thamboolam pai’ (traditional gift bag). Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran welcomed the gathering and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board Chairperson Jayanthi Murali proposed a vote of thanks.

High Court Judges, District Court Judges, Collector S. Aneesh Sekhar, Corporation Commissioner Simranjeet Singh Kahlon and Court Registrars were present.