In a bid to impose the plastic ban, the state government has started acting harshly on shopkeepers and business establishments. In order to condemn the act, various small-scale businessmen and members of retail and wholesale associations staged a protest and kept their shops closed on Monday.

Meanwhile, in order to do away with the plastic containers, various hotels and restaurants in Pune have started buying steel tiffin boxes, in which they pack food for customers and use for home delivery as well.