Madikeri Municipal Corporation has barred the use and sale of arecanut plates, paper cups, paper plates and 1/4, 1/2 and 1‑litre water bottles within its limits. The Municipal Corporation Management Board and the municipal commissioner issued the order, and on Saturday municipal staff handed out copies to traders to inform them of the restrictions.
Local traders and the public have protested the ban, arguing that areca leaves and paper cups decompose in soil and are traditionally used at temple festivals, public and government programmes and sports events, where they are disposed of responsibly.
Naveen Ambekal, vice‑president of the Kodagu District Chamber of Commerce, said the corporation’s decisions apply only to Madikeri and that visitors may bring the prohibited items from elsewhere for private functions, which the CMC cannot control. He added that the CMC acted without consulting the district administration and that a district‑wide ban would avoid such issues.
Ambekal also noted that earlier CMC orders to prohibit plastic bottles were poorly enforced, as tourists often bring bottles from outside and plastic use is permitted in villages within a 2 km radius of Madikeri, making a ban limited to the city ineffective.