Paper bags and public health

Before a couple of years, it had been a familiar material to carry shopping items. After its prohibition, as alternative, the production of paper bags and pouches has increased. Our people have also received these happily and consciously. We use them to carry, along with many things, many food items for example, rice, murri, chirra, sugar, unpacked biscuits and many kinds of street-restaurant-foods.

But how many of us think about the place or quality of the materials that are used to make the bags?

If we walk through any alley in an urban area, we can see many rows of paper made pouches and bags are getting dried on the path. Having been prepared in dirty and dusty place, these packets get ready to be served to the grocers' shops. We can also observe, some one is dusting off empty cement bags. These bags are also used to make pouches. But, are the cement bags properly dusted off?

Then, are we not consuming food full of unhygienic materials? Are they not casting a great threat to the public health?

There an another fact, and that is the weight of a pouch. A pouch made from used cement bag is not less than 50 grams. The makers of it can easily increase the weight adding more paper and sand under it.

It is right of a consumer to get fresh food in a healthy pouch and in correct weight. Authorities concerned should note this.