Use of one-time plastic cups has increased at tea stalls instead of glass cups in the period of coronavirus infection in four upazilas of Chuadanga district recently. But tea-takers do not follow social distance and use of masks at the tea-stalls.
Yamin Hossain Yamin, a tea stall owner in the district town, said that people did not prefer taking tea in glass cups because of coronavirus. They like now disposable plastic cups.
It is learnt that tea stalls in Bus Terminal areas, Boro Bazaars, Rail Bazaar and Nuton Bazaar and Cinema Hall area in the district town are always crowded. Most of the customers do not use musks during the period of staying at tea stalls. Even some owners and workers of the tea stalls prepare tea without any protective equipment and do not follow health rules.
The scenario is the same in all areas of Sadar upazila, Alamdanga upazila, Jibannagar upazila and Damurhuda upazila of the district. The use of one-time plastic cups has also increased in other districts.
According to sources, this one-time plastic cups are made from recycled plastics. Such cups are supposed to be used to serve cold drinks. They are not suitable for extremely hot beverages.
Civil Surgeon of Chuadanga Health Department Dr. MarufHasan told the Bangladesh Post using warm water for tea or coffee in disposable plastic cubs are not harmful but not fit for unusually hot or rapidly boiled water in the cups.
Farid, an auto rickshaw driver from Damurhuda upazila town said that he along with other drivers of Damurhuda Bus Stand areas of Damurhuda upazila town take tea regularly at the area in disposable plastic cups. Users of plastic cups are throwing these anywhere. For this reason environment is under threat of pollution. On the other hand consumers of the district town drop these here and there even in drains, sources added.
Mayor of Chuadanga Poursabha Obaidur Rahman Jipu told the Bangladesh Post that he requested people to throw them in the right place in order to save the environment from pollution.